AN: Hey everyone. I'm gonna keep this note short (if I can). I've been stressed out over writing my fanfics. I'm not sure if I want to tackle a huge, new project as soon as I finish this story. I've got a sequel to one of my other stories, a new one-shot I'm working on, AND Wesker's Angels skits to keep track of! Not to mention some of the projects I have stashed in my laptop that I haven't even posted yet. I've definitely learned that thinking about four stories at a time is NOT a good idea, but which one do I put on hold? Aiyah... All I want to do is sleep. Maybe I should take another break for my health.

Anyway, enough of my whining. To my reviewers, I cannot stress enough how much I love you all. Please accept my offering of virtual free hugs. Love, Katsumi the Miko

Disclaimer: I do not own Resident Evil, or its characters.

~8 months, 2 weeks = 34 weeks, Late February

Chris came home early from work one day. His work on Umbrella had led his thoughts back to Wesker, which in turn led to Jill and the baby. The instinct to protect them took control as Chris walked into the house.

He found Jill lying on her side, watching a TV movie from the sofa. "Hey, there," she greeted, "You're back early."

"I had a lot on my mind," he replied, "Is everything going okay?"

Jill shrugged, pressing her face against the pillow. "Yeah, just sore ankles and a few Braxton-Hicks contractions-"

"You were having contractions?" Chris asked, raising his voice slightly as he dropped his bag and ran to the other side of the sofa, "Why didn't you call me? I would have come back-!"

Jill sat up and rolled her eyes. "They're FAKE contractions, Chris!" she explained, "It's still too early for the kid to arrive yet! And they aren't even that painful!"

"But what if the baby comes early?" Chris panicked.

"It won't," Jill tried to reassure him, "I feel just fine, Chris."

Chris calmed down and sighed in relief. He wanted to argue, but Jill's hormones would blow everything out of proportion, and he would end up feeling like a complete ass. "Alright," he said, "If you feel anything serious, just call me, okay?"

Jill's eyes narrowed from the couch. "I'm not helpless, you know," she reminded him as he passed her and walked into the kitchen.

"I know, I know," Chris replied as he poured himself a glass of orange juice, "I just worry about the world that this kid is going to be born into. I mean," he paused, putting the juice carton back into the fridge, "What if there's another outbreak?" Jill didn't answer, leaving Chris to linger upon his question. What if there was another outbreak? The uncertainty awoke another series of problems, many of which concerned Jill and the child.

"Hey Chris," Jill called, grabbing a flashlight from the coffee table, "Watch this." She moved the flashlight over her abdomen, and a series of small bulges began to travel under her skin as the baby shifted to avoid the light. "Isn't this amazing?" she giggled.

Chris shook his head lightly at his fiancé's antics. As amusing as they were, there was a serious issue that needed to be tackled. "Yes, I'm sure this is exciting for you Jill, but there's something else we have to talk about," he replied.

The smile disappeared from Jill's face. "What happened?" she asked, "Is it important?"

"Very. Maybe we should have a seat at the table."

Chris' statement was more than a suggestion. After being removed from the confines of the sofa, Jill reluctantly sank into one of the dining chairs, anticipating bad news as Chris took a seat as well. As much as he'd rather not have this conversation, it was necessary to ease his mind. "Jill, I don't want to be depressing, but what if something happens to us? Who will take care of the baby?" Chris asked.

Jill sighed. She knew this was coming when she saw the uneasy look he bore on his face; there was no escaping this now. "My first thought is Claire, but she's still a student," Jill replied solemnly, "What about Barry?"

"Barry's an old friend of my family," Chris replied, "Even though he and Kathy already have kids of their own, I don't think he would mind taking care of our son or daughter until Claire gets on her feet. She just doesn't have the resources to take care of a child right now, much less a baby."

Jill nodded. "I agree. Barry is the best choice until Claire gets stabilized," she replied, "Now what about birth plans? I already have some ideas about what I want to happen."

"We can go to the hospital where Rebecca works," Chris suggested, "It's familiar, and it isn't too far away from the house."

Jill nodded. "Right. Also, I don't want to go into surgery unless it's a life-or-death emergency." A contemplative look arrived on her face. "As for drugs, I think I can make it through without them."

"No drugs?" Chris asked, incredulous. He wanted to object, but it wasn't his job to make the decisions at this point. "Are you sure about that? From what I've heard, giving birth must be agonizing. You'd rather be in pain for that?"

"Sure," Jill replied, voice lightening a little bit, "I've had my share of injuries. I'm not afraid of a little pain."

Chris gave a small laugh. "If you're sure…" he said, letting the sentence trail. Arguing with a pregnant woman was never a good idea. "Do you want me in the room with you when the time comes?" he asked.

Jill grew quiet, remembering her fears about her daughter being potentially infected by T-virus. She didn't want Chris to know anything about it, for fear of complete alienation. The mother-to-be couldn't bear the thought of him leaving her after he had promised to help her with their child.

The words came carefully. "I-I would like to have Rebecca in there," she said, "Perhaps you should wait outside."

Chris picked up on Jill's nervousness immediately. "Is something the matter, Jill?" he asked, "You actually look-"

"Scared?" she finished, staring him with a severe, icy blue gaze. The rest of her expression was deathly serious. "Yes, Chris. I am actually scared," she admitted, "What if something goes wrong? What if something goes wrong and they can't stop it?"

Chris saw the tears blooming in Jill's eyes and moved to comfort her. "Hey, It's alright," he reassured, "You've been keeping your appointments with Rebecca. If there was a problem, it would have been found by now." Jill looked away and didn't answer. Chris continued talking, in the hope that the sound of his voice would help soothe her worries. "Rebecca knows some really good people in the hospital. They'll take good care of you. And I'll be waiting outside the room, ready to be at your side if you ask me to."

Jill turned back to look at Chris, but the words she spoke were soft and solemn. "This is going to be really personal for me, Chris. And when it's over it will be just another moment in time," Jill said as she wiped the tears away, "I just need to stand back and let it happen."

AN: Please leave a review!