The characters from the game belong to Capcom.
A/N:I'm not english native speaker, so you might find some typos or grammar mistakes, I do apologize for that.
Chris's POV
This place again... I have been here before. This mansion… that woman with a cap. I know her! I have seen her face several times before. We met through Barry, yes, I remember that! I was going to apply for something Barry contacted me. What was it? I can't remember.
That brunette woman was there too. We got along since the first time and she was part of my life for so long… I can't remember her name. I know it's not that hard! Her father was in prison, he was a famous thief. Claire and her used to be friends… What is that supposed to mean? Was she more than just a friend? My girlfriend? My wife… No! This I'm sure she wasn't!
Now I remember, she was seeing someone before the last time I saw her at this mansion that is forming in front of me. I don't know what brought us here, but it's causing me a weird sensation. So many corridors, doors, it's dark, but the woman is so calm. She really changed over the times. I remember she used to be more cheerful when we met in 96… yes, 1996! Raccoon City.
Yes, I remember that city's name. Evana told me about her father and the relation of that city with his death. I lived in Raccoon City. Jill, Barry and his family… We lived there. Claire was a biker and since she turned 18, she decided to leave my side, my protection, she said I was too overprotective and she needed to spread her wings and live her life. That wouldn't mean we would stop talking.
Raccoon City… so much nostalgia. I was really stablishing myself there after I was kicked out of the Air Force… Wait a minute; I did serve the military.
I am a military
No, I can't be a military, I was fired long ago… I had a fiancée, I remember that… her father was a recognized man in there and she served the Air Force too and things got really bad between us after that. Going to Raccoon City just ruined our longtime relationship, but that's alright, I was too young for that. Marriage and career don't really match.
My blood just boiled. That man in sunglasses just killed an old man. I know him! I hate him!
It was raining… the lightning illuminated the dark room. We got into physical fight. The three of us.
I know I know his name! why can't I remember that either?
It hurts… I'm getting dizzy and losing my senses… I can't breathe…"
"JILLL!" Chris woke up with a start, choking and sweating, yelling that name. He screamed so loud that Evana woke up with a start with a very scared face.
Chris cried hard, "Jill…" he repeated that name while he cried even more holding his head completely tormented, "No… this can't be…" he spoke in sobs
"Chris…" Evana whispered as she caressed Chris trying to calm him down.
Chris was inconsolable and Evana took him into an embrace. Chris cried on her shoulder real hard with his face tumbled into her neck for support, "She's dead..." he spoke repeatedly
"Who's dead?" Evana asked gently
"Jill…"
"Oh…I'm so sorry to hear that." she spoke hugging him even tighter
"I don't want to remember anymore… it's all just pain!" Chris murmured
"I know… I understand how you feel and having to deal with painful memories twice… But I'm here with you."
"Don't leave Eva… all I have is you…"
"I will never leave you Chris…"
The couple stayed in silence for some time while Chris worked on his wounds. Evana didn't leave Chris any time and caressed him in support. It was incredible such a big man like him being cuddled like a defenseless child.
"I saw her grave…I left flowers for her..." he spoke in a hoarse
"We should pray for her."
"She was important to me…"
"Was she your girlfriend?" Evana asked with a soft tone
Chris shrugged, "We had a special bond, a very special one… I had a transcendental feeling for her…" Chris sighed deeply, "We were partners… But I do think we did have some romantic affair at some point. It wouldn't be hard for me to fall for her."
Evana continued caressing Chris, she could feel his pain as her own. She herself had lost someone she had loved immensely. The one who was her first love and only love until now.
"I can relate to your pain… and there's no words enough to ease that. But I'll stay here with you as long as you need."
"She gave her life for me… She fell off that cliff for me!" Chris cried hard again
Evana's tears fell down on her face, she was so empathetic to his pain and the image that formed in her mind was just horrible. It was a tragic death and that big man had witnessed it. That man had suffered a lot and it was understandable why he didn't want to remember his past. Now Evana could imagine how tormented Chris could be and why he was so scared to remember further things. It wouldn't be hard to imagine he had lost even more.
Chris wiped his tears, turning his face to Evana, "Why are you crying?" he asked with a failing voice
"I can feel your pain…" she whispered
"I'm sorry for that." he said looking down
"You don't have to be sorry."
"You didn't even know her…"
"I don't need to know her to know she was a great woman. I can feel it and I can see it through your eyes." She said lifting his face gently
Chris smiled weakly. Those words, for some reason, had a big good weight on him. Evana accepted Jill without any question and Chris knew Evana wasn't faking that. He just knew that.
"It's a consolation you telling me that… You accepting her…" he said with a slightly perplexed face
"I'd have loved to have met her, but I know you wouldn't have met me if she was still alive… But you don't need to fear sharing your stories with me. I respect her presence in your life!"
"Now that you said it… you would still exist in my life if she were alive. I remember we were both seeing other people at the time of her death. We weren't in a romantic relationship, but we did have a very special relationship, do you understand?"
"Yes. I understood everything when you said transcendental. This is rare!"
"Yeah… but you are rare too. You're not jealous of her."
Evana smiled softly, "I could never be jealous of her, Chris."
"This is touching for me… I don't know why…"
"It's ridiculous being jealous of someone's past. Actually I'm not a jealous person, despite I had almost freaked out when you did Emma bitch, but it was more envy than real jealous. But now that we are together I'm not jealous of you. I just want you to be happy and even if that means you won't be happy with me." she said looking down to the side
"But I can only be happy with you." Chris said turning her face to him
Evana smiled at him and caressed his face. Chris in return kissed her hand.
"Let's pray for her?" he asked
"Sure." She replied with a caring tone
United States
Jill returned to the BSAA HQ after her lunch with Nicholas. She left the elevator and greeted the secretary.
"Miss Valentine, there's a package for you. It arrived right after you left." The woman spoke politely
"Oh, okay. Thank you." Jill replied while she grabbed the plastic package and headed to her cabin
On her way through the corridor, Jill wondered what would be the content in the package and rushed a little bit her walk pace. However, before she could satisfy her curiosity, she had a light scare when she opened her cabin's door and saw a man standing in front of the large window behind her desk.
"Leon! What are you doing here?" she said closing the door
"I'm sorry for the scare. I came to invite you to have lunch, but my brother came first." He replied with a slight sigh
"I didn't know you were in town. You could've had called me."
"I just arrived in town. I'm staying for the weekend, unless they call me for some emergency." He said walking closer to Jill
"Cool. This weekend is our goddaughter's birthday. She will be glad if you go see her." Jill replied observing Leon's moves
"I know she'll be glad seeing me, but what about you?"
"I'll be happy if she's happy." Jill replied passing by him and sat on her chair. They were separated only by the desk.
Leon turned around to look at Jill who was clearly avoiding his approaches.
"You can have your seat. These high heels are killing me. I really miss my boots."
Leon let out a slight sigh, "You complain I don't call and when I'm here you ignore me. I can't understand you."
"Exactly Leon! You disappear and you don't really expect me to throw a party when you decide to show up and pretend you didn't ignore me, do you?"
"You don't need to be so harsh on me. I admit I made a mistake this time, but I'm here to talk and solve our situation, amicably."
"In my work?" she said lifting her eyebrow
"I have plans for tonight."
"Humm." She said looking to the side briefly, "You're going to meet someone else…"
Leon nodded, "I am going to meet someone, but that will depend if she will forgive me and spare me from spending money in a hotel until the weekend." He said in a flirty tone
Jill couldn't help her smile. No matter how much she tried to help, but Leon knew how to ease her. No matter how complicated their relationship could be, but there was something about him that just made her miss him and a lot. Maybe it was because he was one of the unexpected people to help her after the events in Africa. Despite his crazy work schedule, Leon always managed to spend his time with her when she started the rehab outside the lab and progressively she got used to have a "normal" life again and their friendship slowly started becoming something else.
"So what do you say? May I remind you that this weekend is our goddaughter's birthday."
"Yeah, I know. I didn't forget it. Actually I thought you wouldn't come."
"I did everything not to miss that. I know it's been a while I haven't visited her."
"Yeah, she always asks for you."
"By the way, I want you to sign this paper you have in hands even if you don't forgive me."
"What is this?"
"Read it."
Jill opened the envelope and she couldn't hide her surprised face, "You did this?" she asked
"Yeah, they are waiting your signature to give the permission for her to leave the orphanage to spend the weekend with us."
Jill didn't think twice to sign the document. She was excited for the weekend and already had many ideas to put in action. She stood up from her chair and walked until Leon who watched her and stood up as well. Jill stopped close to him and smiled, "You are forgiven, but we need to talk later, alright?" she said giving him the paper
Leon got the paper and pulled her gently to him smiling at her, "I don't usually ask for permission, but may we kiss in reconciliation? I'm really missing you." He said with a flirty tone leaning his face closer to hers
Jill nodded and leaned her face to his, sealing their lips in a tender kiss. That was all against her professional codes, but Leon and her new life style, have changed her in many aspects and Leon had made her break some of her codes and started bringing an old Jill back to life. A side of her that she had put aside after Raccoon City's incident.
Their moment was interrupted by the knocks on the door, "Come in." she yelled returning to her chair, while Leon sat back on the seat licking his lips to clean it from her lipstick.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were busy." Piers said noticing he had interrupted something
"It's alright. Is there an emergency?" Jill replied
"No. I was just passing by and wanted to check on you."
"I'm glad you came. I have things for you."
"I'll leave you two alone. We talk later." Leon said feeling there was no room for him
"No, you stay. It's kind of related to you." Jill said
"Oh, okay…" Leon said resting on the seat while Piers entered in the room and nodded to greet Leon
"What have you got?" Piers asked taking the other seat
"News on Chris."
"Really?" Piers replied
"Yes, but it's more clues than the real location of where he might be."
"Okay, I guess it's better than anything." Piers replied
Jill explained the new info she got from Nicholas for the two men and delivered a flash drive to Piers so he could study it. Piers told her he had a mission to accomplish and after that he would dedicate fully to his official assignment made by Jill to find Chris and he wouldn't return until he brought Chris back. They talked for some time.
"Now it's in your hands, Piers." Jill said
"I know and I promise I will bring Chris back safely. I know you would like to participate personally, and this just gives me an extra boost."
"Yes, I admit it, but I trust you Piers. I know this time you will be successful and soon everything will get back to normality…"
"Yeah and someone will stop nagging us and stop burning our ears with the curses." Piers said with a playful tone
Jill sighed, "Yeah, I avoid contact, but I heard about the one's noises and Chris' return will make the snake silence again."
"Yeah, I don't know how Chris deals with it… I myself have got into some arguments with the snake. I feel bad for Quint."
"Yeah, me too. Anyways, I know it's going to be hard, but be very discreet about the source until you have the real whereabouts of Chris… you know the snake doesn't like the two of us here…" Jill said pointing to her and Leon
Piers gasped, "The snake doesn't like anyone Jill! But don't worry about it, my lips are sealed and I will just report to you on the matter."
Jill nodded. Piers said goodbyes to the couple and left the cabin. Leon and Jill exchanged gazes, they talked a bit more until Leon left alone to the orphanage to deliver the document and waited until Jill would leave her work.
Thank you Xaori for the review :D
Thank you everybody for reading and for staying tuned. There's much more to come!
Phew, I managed to write this chapter, I almost turned it into a mexican soap opera due to the drama element, but I managed to slow it down, otherwise I'd never stop writing it and I would cry oceans with Chris' pain. Yet, there are still more rivers of tears to come in the future and I hope not to get blind while writing it hahaha
The chapter was dedicated to the one and only Jill and obviously I didn't have any other title for it besides her name.
Transitional moments, we are already in April of 2013... Only two more months T_T and then the real drama will start alongside the second half of the story T_T I'm already suffering for antecipation lol