Resident Evil belongs to Capcom. I just use their characters to entertain myself and others.

-II-

Old barrier

Tuesday, 9pm

Jill didn't really understand what that special thing about Claire was that made her feel so incredibly comfortable by her side. After finishing the whole tub of ice-cream together they sat on the couch to chat and have more wine. Claire told her about her work at TerraSave, about the fat cook-boyfriend she hadn't yet spotted in her life but would love to, and about Neil Fisher.

"I don't know why, but Chris never liked him, even before knowing that we actually went out," Claire complained laughing. "He just doesn't let me live my own life."

"He just wants to protect you," Jill said before taking another sip. "So, you and that Neil are actually dating?"

"What? Oh my God, no. We just went out once. After months of pressing me he got me to have dinner with him, but it wasn't a very pleasant evening. I didn't sleep with him that night so he is still trying to convince me." Claire shook her head and smiled regretfully. "I've told him several times to stop it. And I'd love to kick his ass for not respecting that. But he's still my boss."

Jill was surprised but smiled at the situation.

"So Chris was right about Fisher," she said. "That must be his famous sixth sense."

"Sixth sense?" Claire asked stunned. "My brother?"

Jill nodded laughing. "Didn't he tell you? Back at S.T.A.R.S., although respecting and admiring Wesker deeply, Chris sometimes told me that if anyone ever tried to destroy the world it would have to be our captain. Of course there was never any reason to suspect such a thing and it was a mere joke, but in the end, he was right." Remembering that, Jill couldn't help but grin. "And we once had a cute little secretary who always brought sweets and cakes for the handsome guys in the team. Chris always treated her kindly, but would never accept any of her gifts. Not even he knew exactly why, but I think he was kind of happy about it when all guys got intoxicated by her buttercream."

Claire giggled surprised. "So, Chris is one of the handsome guys, hu?"

"I understand that you don't see it like that, but I think many ladies would like to have a man like your brother by their side." Jill smiled and took a sip of her wine.

"You too?"

Jill stared at Claire. She felt caught for a moment, but then she remembered that, if she had ever felt something for her partner, it was gone for good now.

"Me? I'm not a lady, Claire." Both laughed. "To be honest, I had a crush on your brother when I first met him at S.T.A.R.S. I should've asked him out back then, when everything was easier and we had quite a normal life. But Umbrella happened to us. We became partners on our way through hell and there was no time or space for anything else than this partnership. However, Chris is still the person I most trust in the world."

Claire felt disappointed by what she heard. Umbrella happened to them? Nothing more than cheap excuses. Jill and her brother were meant to be together. And if Jill needed to be fixed before that could happen, she'd fix her.

"And the one you most care of?" She asked. Jill doubted a second, but nodded then.

"Along with my father, maybe," she said.

"That's exactly how Chris feels about you," Claire said excited. "Hasn't he told you how devastated he was after your death?" Claire made air quote signs when pronouncing the last word.

"No, we haven't spoken about that," Jill said sadly.

"So what have you spoken about exactly? The weather maybe?" Claire joked. "I remember the night he called me to tell me what happened. He sounded so… broken."

"I can imagine how I'd have felt in his situation," Jill whispered.

"The BSAA was looking for your body for months, Chris was with them. As you already know, they didn't find anything. So you were declared dead."

"Yes, Chris mentioned that."

"Oh, thank God! There is something he told you!" Claire laughed sarcastically and clapped her hands.

The blonde gave her a shy smirk.

"Chris never really got over the fact that they didn't find your body," Claire continued. "It was like some part of him didn't want to let you go. I even sometimes caught him talking about you as if you'd been still there. He didn't even see your grave after that one time at your funeral."

Jill suddenly felt incredibly guilty. She'd thought she was saving Chris' life by tackling Wesker out of the window. Now she knew that she had probably caused him the worst pain he'd ever felt.

She grabbed a pillow and hugged it tightly.

"Jill, are you okay?" Claire was worried. Maybe she had gone too far by telling Jill the whole story. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

Jill felt cold and shivered. She suddenly felt an aching knot in her throat and her view got blurred. She needed someone to hold her and lift her up, and though she had just met her, the person in front of her seemed just perfect for it.

"Claire, please, would you mind holding my hand for a while?"

Claire did as she'd been asked. Jill buried her face in the pillow and began to cry desperately, cushioning the sound with the textile.

All the images came back to her, from the events in the Spencer Estate to those in Africa. The killing, the infecting, Chris' look when Wesker uncovered her face in the ruins. So many pain caused by her. Why hadn't she been strong enough to avoid all that? She remembered the stabbing gaze in the eyes of the first victim she infected. Everything she'd fought for all her life, destroyed in a matter of seconds.

Claire couldn't say anything. She wasn't sure if what she was witnessing was good or not. She just held Jill's hand for over half an hour. She heard her sobbing, screaming, mumbling something. Then, the blond woman suddenly stopped crying and lifted her head slowly. Her eyes were empty.

"I wish I'd died back then."

Claire couldn't believe what she heard. The conversation she had with Chris when he'd called her from Africa several months ago came to her mind.

"Chris, what's up? Have you arrested that Mr. Irving yet?"

"Claire, I've found her."

She swallowed. "Her? You won't happen to mean…"

"Jill. She's alive."

Claire didn't really notice how the tears made their way down her face when she heard th.e news

"Chris, I can't believe this is really happening. Is she okay?"

"It's a long story. But knowing her, she'll be fine someday."

"I'm so happy for you."

"Me too. Thank you for your support, sis."

Sis. He hadn't called her that for three years. Losing his partner had changed him completely, up to the point that he wasn't able to treat his friends like friends anymore. Seeing her brother suffer and not being able to do anything about it had driven Claire crazy. That's why she had felt an immense happiness invading her body the day he'd told her that Jill was alive. And now that same woman was saying she regretted having survived. Of course she understood that Jill didn't mean that she was tired of living, but that she wished she could make undone every one of her actions after that day: getting experimented on, being used as a tool for evil, making Chris suffer… But she also knew that Chris without Jill was only a shadow of what he used to be.

"Jill," she said. "Look at me."

The blonde raised her gaze until looking right into the eyes of her new friend.

"I understand this is tough. But there's no need to wish such a thing. I know you'll recover completely and Chris knows that too. And when your time has come, you'll fight bioterrorism again and kick lots of asses. And, even if you feel different now, it will have been worth it."

Jill listened carefully to Claire, but she didn't quite believe that she'd ever be able to feel better. She had failed everyone and nothing could make that right. Tears rushed into her eyes again. When she lowered her head to hide them from Claire, she saw that the redhead was still holding her hand.

"Believe me, you may tremble sometimes. But nothing can ever break you." Claire smiled at her new friend. "It will never be easy for anyone of us. But I know that what you survived is not something anyone can make. So who if not you can fight the evil that is still out there?" She pointed at a random direction. "Jill, you survived because you still have to save many people."

Jill thought about her will to get back to work as soon as possible after rehab. It was actually a ridiculous idea. Her fear of any physical contact and her sudden clumsiness with firearms made that she couldn't even begin training.

"How am I gonna do that if I can't even hold a weapon?" Jill whispered.

"It may take you some time," Claire lowered her voice. "But I know you'll get back to who you once were. You still have that spark in you. I see it. Chris sees it. So it must be still there."

'Chris.' His name made Jill shiver. Wouldn't he be a better man and a better agent without her?

"Your brother means a lot to me. He's my partner and my best friend and I caused him so much pain."

Claire shook her head and regretted deeply having mentioned anything about this topic. She thought how she could get her brother's partner out the hole she had made her fall into.

"Jill," she whispered. "What did you feel before tackling Wesker out of the window?"

Jill looked at her.

"I felt…" she doubted. "Fear! I was afraid of losing Chris."

"Good. Now, how would you've felt if Wesker had killed him?"

"There wouldn't have been much time to feel anything. He would have killed me right after him."

"Just answer!"

"Okay, okay. If Chris had died, I guess I'd have wanted to die as well." Jill suddenly understood what Claire wanted to say. The redhead nodded.

"That's what he felt when you disappeared," she smiled at Jill. "Now listen to me very well. If there's one thing that kept him alive all this time and didn't let his guilt consume him, it was the hope of finding you someday. I don't even want to imagine what would have happened if you'd really died."

When she heard those words, Jill's eyes filled with tears again. She understood that the joy of finding her could have made Chris forget all the pain he had suffered before. Claire continued speaking.

"You saved his life twice that day! And together you can save a lot of people."

Though Jill was still mad at herself, she forced a smile. Claire's words had calmed her down and made her see things from a different point of view.

Claire was crying. Her brother's death was something she didn't even want to imagine. She wiped away her tears.

"I think we need a foursome with two guys now."

"We what?" Jill asked laughing. She was pretty worried about the ideas Claire could have. Maybe Chris' fear of finding his sister naked on some complete stranger's motorbike was justified.

"What I just said. You, me, and Ben & Jerry," she finally let go of Jill's hand, jumped off the couch and sprinted to the kitchen. Jill sighed relieved.

"More ice-cream? How much weight do you want me to gain until Friday?" She yelled loud enough so the younger woman could hear her from the kitchen.

"As much as possible." The redhead came back holding another tub of Brownie ice-cream. "But we should probably have it at the dining table."

"Will you spend all your vacation worrying about stains?"

"Sure, you'd rather worry about zombies, wouldn't you?" Both laughed.

Hello everybody.

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who is actually reading this. Please, if you like it or if you consider it's so horrible you'd wish to rip your eyes out, let me know :D Any type of review will surely help me improve.

And special thanks to Thebigticket21, for reviewing.

This chapter is a little boring, yes. But Jill needs this time with Claire so they can build up a special bond. Chapter 3 brings some action, I promise. Also, Chris is showing up again ;)