Hello again and welcome to the epilogue [sound echoes through the room]

First of all, I want to thank you all for your support. This story has become a very important part of my life during the last months and you can't imagine how happy I am to have shared this with all of you.

Of course, I still don't own Resident Evil. I just borrow their characters for my little games ;)

- Epilogue -

Just friends

Thursday, 7:30 a.m.

...Eight, nine, thirty, thirty-one, two, three… She sprinted up the stairs, carrying her friend's small suitcase in one hand and a takeaway coffee cup in the other and constantly cursing her brother who, even making way more money than her, preferred to live in an apartment block without elevator. It had to be the only building in the whole area where that lifting technology hadn't arrived yet. His damn habit of not wanting changes was simply dumb. Breathless, she reached the door to his apartment. Hoping to find a positive result of her plan for the previous night, she knocked, fidgeting around nervously until the door swung open. She looked down at her friend's outfit.

"I'm glad I'm bringing your clothes," she said walking across the door without waiting for being asked to. "You wouldn't want to wear Chris' shirt all day long, would you?" She left the suitcase on the floor, took off her sunglasses and smiled widely at the blonde.

Jill just shrugged shoulders, giving her a cheeky smirk.

"I wouldn't mind. It smells like him."

Claire leaned on the counter. "Tell me everything!"

"Everything? Really?"

The activist hesitated seeing Jill's questioning gaze.

"Okay, not absolutely everything." She giggled. "How often?"

"Claire!" the blonde yelled amused. But under her friend's insisting look she finally lifted three fingers.

"Not bad! Was my little present useful?" She winked. Jill nodded shyly.

"How did you know?"

"Well, he's been my brother for more than thirty years and I know he only remembers things when it's already too late." Claire laughed headshaking. "Where is he, by the way?"

"In the shower," Jill replied. "But I'm sure he's coming out soon."

"Too bad I can't stay. I wanted to give him the 'I told you speech' I've been rehearsing all night long."

"Really?" Jill gave her a challenging smirk. "Is that what you've been doing all night long with Kennedy?"

Claire looked at her astonished, understanding perfectly the hidden sense in her words.

"Take that back, Valentine!" She forced a shrill laughter and moved her sunglasses up to her head. "Leon is my best friend!"

"Just friends, hu?" Jill raised an eyebrow in an obviously teasing way. "Just like your brother and I were until yesterday?"

"Yes, but; no offence; Leon and I have a much more mature friendship." She laid a hand on her chest and shook her head eagerly. "No hidden feelings. No sex."

"What a pity, having such a handsome best friend..." The blonde was having a pretty good time provoking her friend.

"Yes, Jill, I know the bastard's very good looking." She rolled her eyes. "Lucky he's also emotional wasteland which keeps me totally from wanting him for anything else than chatting, laughing and sharing desserts."

"Emotional wasteland? Well, however…" Jill shook her head to finally get rid of the ideas her friends was fighting against. "Claire." She gave her friend a warm look. "Thank you for everything. Really."

"You're welcome." The redhead winked. "I knew you wouldn't make it without help." She turned around and headed to the door. "I have to go now. I'm double parking. Tell Chris to call me."

"I'll do that." Jill smiled. Her friend had almost reached the door when her need to know more made her call her back. "Claire!"

Claire turned around and gave her a curious look.

"Yes?"

"Does it still hurt?"

Claire looked at her stunned when she remembered the conversation they'd had the evening before. She hesitated shortly before a smirk popped onto her lips.

"No, it doesn't." She smiled shyly. "No matter what they say, the head is stronger than the heart. And forgetting is easy once you truly understand it's the best for you."

Jill smiled widely and nodded at her friend.

"I was talking about your foot, of course."

The redhead narrowed her eyes and forced a wide smile.

"Yes," she said softly. "Me too."

She smiled again and opened the door, leaving Jill behind with whatever her thoughts were.

"Stupid Valentine!"

And with this short epilogue I would like to invite you to have a look at my new fic Just friends, which is mainly about Claire, Leon and their mature friendship without feelings or sex... Sounds boring, right? Well, I'm rating it M, just to be safe xD

It'll be related to Hands and Tools, but still different.

Thebigticket21: My friend, you've been here since the very beginning and I couldn't be more grateful. Thank you for sharing your opinion with me and for being such a huge inspiration with your own Valenfield (and Cleon) stories. I guess this hasn't been the typical epilogue where it's said that they live happily ever after. But of course they're not living happily for a very long time. This is RE, after all T_T And RE means problems xD I'm sorry to tell you that the "real" epilogue will be part of Just Friends :S

Stardust4: Thank you so much for your encouraging review. I think many people here would like to see Claire and Jill together in a game, even not being partners. Chris and Leon were in RE6, Chris and Leon will be in Vendetta... It's always Chris and Leon, Chris and Leon... It's time for them to move aside and let the girls handle this. Although Capcom seems to have a good time making them fight and argue. And, well, Jill and Claire would never act so childishly xD

And very special thanks to my sis Sofistinha who always guides me out of my doubts.

That's all, my friends. Thank you very much!