Soft Sounds and Hard Impacts
Everybody says it's a perfect day.
The sun is in my eyes, make it go away.
Surrounded by people, but I feel so alone.
Seems like I fall apart every time you go.
- Too Much is Never Enough, Kerli
Jill stood with her arms crossed. She was standing, more like pacing, outside of room 216, the room of the man who functioned as her partner. Her teeth needled her lower lip with worry. The nurses had ushered her out in order to do a thousand and one different check ups on him. Mental stability, muscle mass, and more. They said it'd be quick, but it had already been a half an hour. He still needed to explain what he had meant by it all being fake. He didn't need nurses shoving thermometers who knows where or pushing medication at him. He needed his partner, his friend. He needed her.
She had called Claire, but there was no answer. Instead, she left a message that was simply "He's awake". She knew Claire would call back in order to get an explanation. And she'd rush to the hospital in order to see him. In a way, Jill hoped that Claire would take a bit longer so the brunette would have time to talk to the male Redfield.
A nurse exited the room and Jill turned. "Can I go back in now?"
The nurse, one Jill knew well, nodded. The nurse's name was Betty and was most commonly working on Wednesdays when Jill came in. She had blonde hair and a kind face. "He's in good shape. But he won't be able to leave the hospital for another week at least. Probably more. We'll start him on physical therapy in a few days." The woman paused. "He wants to see you. Carla's just got to check his IV and she'll be out."
"Thank you..."
"No problem, Jill. Hope you two are happy together," Betty smiled before disappearing into the hospital.
Jill blushed, shook it away, and entered the room again. Chris was sitting up, propped there by pillow. The nurse, Carla, a woman with dark curly hair and tanned skin, saw Jill, finished her job, and exited quickly. Chris couldn't help but smile when he saw Jill. She gave him a small, nervous one in return. He was looking at her like he used to, all happiness.
She pulled the chair even closer to the bed. "Chris..." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it, a welcome feeling to both of them. "What did you mean earlier? When you said it was all fake?"
He frowned and looked down. "I guess it's called a coma dream..." She leaned forward and maintained the grip on his hand. "I remember almost everything. Starting in 1998... What really happened that year?"
She frowned and took a shakey breath. "The accident that put you into the coma." She felt like crying again.
"Oh..." He trailed off and met her eyes. "In the dream, we were on a mission in the mountains..." He closed his eyes to remember it better. "Most of Bravo team was dead... They were attacked by these creatures. You'll probably think I'm insane, but the things were zombies. We, and by that I mean you, Wesker, and I, ended up in this mansion in the middle of the woods. Wesker sent me to investigate something and when I came back, you were both gone. I was alone from that point onward until I found Rebecca. Everyone the team... Dead."
"You don't have to tell me everything right now..." she whispered, interrupting his story. He looked at her, crying again.
"Jill?"
"Yes, Chris?"
"What are we? Here?"
She sensed the bigger question. "Are we together?" She took a shaky breath. "Partners. We're partners."
He nodded and squeezed her hand. "I'll... I'll tell you the rest later... Can you tell me what's happened in the last two years?"
"Of course." She held his hand tightly and relayed the main events of the prior two years. She told him of Wesker's promotion, the new captain, and Claire's whereabouts. When she came to the subject of Payton, she slowed. She was much quieter as she spoke of him, giving Chris very little information. She didn't know why, but she felt nervous. He was back, awake. He was there. But she felt awkward. She wanted to sit on the bed with him, cuddle against his side. She wanted to be held by him. She had absolutely no idea why. They weren't romantically engaged with each other. Two years, a month, and four days prior she had entertained the thought of asking him out. But now she was with Payton and unless that ended, she had no chance with Chris. Even then, with what had happened...
She doubted that she'd ever have a chance with Chris.
Chris had a train of thought that was parallel to hers. He already missed the world in his mind. He missed being with Jill the way that his mind had let him be. He wondered if her lips tasted the same, if she'd react in the same ways she had. He wanted nothing more than to hold her and whisper sweet nothings to her as he had been able to before. It was weird not to be in a relationship with her. Not weird. Horrible. He loved her and there was nothing between them. Well, not nothing. They were partners. Which, compared to the dream he had, was almost nothing.
He felt so disoriented. He was almost ten years younger, he had considerably less muscle due to his two-year long sleep, and he no longer had Jill as his lover.
"Jill?"
"Hm?"
"What am I supposed to do now?"
She tilted her head. "Well, I guess we'll have to take your stuff out of storage. The RPD should pay for a few months rent. Not to mention some consolidation for work hazard. Once you're all better, you could probably come back to STARS. If that's what you wanted..." She gave him a small smile. "I need my partner back."
He smiled. "Sounds like a plan."
"I can help you train. And you'll probably have to pass a psych evaluation."
He nodded. "The nurse, what was her name... Betty? Said that I'd have to meet with a shrink a few times every week in order to ensure I'm mentally sound and whatever." He yawned. "I'm tired..."
"How?" she asked. "You're been asleep for two years, one month and three days."
He looked her in the eyes, serious. "You've counted?"
She nodded, a grim look on her face. "Yeah. Every single day."
He almost said it. He had almost spoke the three words he thought he had for the past twelve years. But those twelve were locked away in his mind. He held back the "I love you", but it strained at his lips and mind, trying to escape and find safety in her ears, in her mind. He wanted to say it. He did, more than anything. Instead, he whispered her name, embedding the emotion in it. "Jill..."
"Try not to fall asleep until Claire gets here." The brunette gave him a sad look. "She needs to see you." Jill was afraid that he might return to the folds of the coma. If he did, it'd be just another thing Claire could hold against Jill. Just like... She shook her mind of that.
"Okay."
"I'll call her, okay?" He nodded. The phone rang three times before being answered. Claire's voice was frantic on the other end.
"I'm heading there now!" She swore into the phone. "Is he okay? Does he remember anything?"
"Yes, he's fine, according to the nurses. Do you want to talk to him?"
The redhead paused. "No. I want to see him in person. Tell him I love him for me. I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Okay. Bye." She hung up. "She told me to tell you she loves you and she'll be here in a few."
He nodded. "She didn't want to talk to me?"
"She said she'd rather see your face when she talks to you." There was silence. It wasn't uneasy, but it wasn't comfortable either. Something rose to the front of Jill's mind; what Chris had said when he saw her upon waking. "I thought you were dead..." The tone he had was frightening. "Chris?"
"Yeah?"
"I know you said that you'd tell me the rest of your dream later, but... Why did you think I was dead?"
The image of her dead body appeared on his mind. It renewed the tears in his eyes. He flicked them away and held the rest in. "You and I were on a mission... Clear out the infected and get the information hidden there. But it went wrong... We were both hurt. We had almost been to the exit when... When you were shot. I couldn't move after that. I was too shocked by your death... I just stared down at you... I think I got shot after, but... I'm not sure."
The breath caught in Jill's throat for the umpteenth time that day. He cared for her that much in his dream? Jill was saved from a reply when Claire rushed into the room. "Chris!" Immediately, the younger Redfield began to cry from the happiness at seeing her brother awake. She hugged him hard. "Oh God, big bro. I'm so happy to see you awake!" He hugged her in return, patting her back. He was surprised by the sudden assault.
"Hey, Claire..."
"Have the nurses been in? Are you hungry? I bet you are, I'll go get you some food."
And just like that, Chris and Jill were left in the room again. Jill sensed it was time for her to leave. She grabbed his hand, squeezing it. "I should go, Chris..."
"No, Jill, you can stay!"
She shook her head. "Claire won't like me being here. I'll come back tomorrow, okay?" She pressed her forehead to his, closing her eyes. "Don't... Don't sleep for so long again, okay? I don't wanna lose you again." She kissed his cheek. "Good-bye, Chris."
She was crying before she got to her car.