Jill paced around the small space of her apartment chewing on her lip and eyes glued to the rug. Her hands were locked on her hips, nerves firing on all cylinders. In the corner of the room a chunky orange cat watched her pace following her with its eyes as if the feline were watching a tennis match. Back and forth, back and forth. It was only when the cat grew bored and lifted its paw to give it a lick that the sound of silent movement was broken by the cat accidentally knocking the bell on its own collar. The soft sound causing Jill to start, stopping in place and bringing a hand to her chest while she glared towards the cat.
"Really? Can't you see Mommy is busy losing her mind here?"
If the cat was disturbed by Jill's look or her tone it didn't show it, continuing to groom itself while Jill let out a prolonged sigh. She knew how silly this was. She was a member of STARS, the most elite task force Raccoon City had on offer. She'd been a part of drug raids, thwarted attempted assassinations, and even took down a legion of surprisingly oversized alligators that had somehow appeared in the sewer system. She'd taken a bullet in the line of duty and spent a month training with the Navy Seals all within her first two years as an agent.
By this point there wasn't a thing on planet Earth that had any right to strike fear into her heart. And yet here she was alone in her apartment entertaining her cat by being unable to keep her nerves in check. All because the god damned mayor decided to throw one of his god damned charity events and god damned Wesker thought it wise to make STARS mandatory guests. Not security or even operating under cover. Just guests. It was infuriating, it was a travesty, it…
Jill sighed once more and took a seat on the couch. It was one night. Three hours in fact. Nothing that was worth losing her head over. And yet she couldn't help herself. Dread gnawed away at her heart like a disease and for what reason she could hardly imagine. Perhaps that was the part that felt as though it drove her most insane. She cracked cold cases that were easier to solve than this. Looking beside her on the couch her eyes scanned over what belongings she tossed in after coming home after her shift. Her sidearm tucked away in its holster, a couple of manilla folders filled with paperwork that she couldn't bring herself to look at, and the dreaded invitation itself.
Her lips curled into a frown as she took the small card and examined it in her hand. A few hours ago it ended up in her company courtesy of her own lack of awareness. Turning a corner down at the station she ran right into Wesker, nearly knocking her superior over. Though the embarrassment of that collision quickly became the last thing on her mind when he showed her the card.
"It's actually good that I caught you Valentine. I have something for you."
His voice was as calm and cool as always, carrying the same candor as if he were assigning her a mission. And though she sometimes doubted that Wesker was even human with his often robotic delivery and lack of willingness to spend time with the squad outside the office, he did seem to notice the confused expression on her face as she read over the card since he soon clarified.
"The mayor wishes to congratulate the squadron on our recent accomplishments. Frankly I couldn't care less about these sorts of ceremonies but I thought the rest of you might appreciate some well deserved praise."
Jill's mouth still failed in providing him with any response more than a barely audible,
"Sir I…"
But Wesker silenced any further attempts at dialogue with a shake of the head and his hand going to her shoulder.
"It's one night Jill. And though I may not enjoy these affairs I still would never turn down the opportunity to celebrate the good that we have done for this city. You've earned it. We've earned it."
Jill pouted at the memory, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Clever bastard almost had me going there for a minute…"
She spoke the thought aloud even though there was nobody in her apartment apart from the cat able to hear her. But it was better than way. She had nothing but respect for her commander and would never dream of calling him that to his face. But his uncharacteristically mushy sentiment succeeded in preventing her refusal and now she had no choice. The shiny invitation with its silver lining and dancing script text may as well have been a print and stamped mission given where it had come from. Nothing barring perhaps another gunshot wound would see her getting out of this situation. The idea brought her attention back to her sidearm but she shook her head before that line of thinking could continue any further. She wasn't that desperate. Yet.
Looking back down at the paper itself she studied it once more before finally deciding to stop playing ignorant. It wasn't a mystery that was getting her all worked up. It was willful ignorance, the notion that maybe if she believed she was confused about her own emotions she would actually fail to understand what had her sitting here so disturbed. The text inside the card.
Mayor Warren invites you to the annual Raccoon City services Gala! Where we celebrate the accomplishments of RC's finest. Formal attire is mandatory and guests are to bring a single date.
A date. A date. Who's bright idea was it to make the inclusion of a date mandatory? That was something that would warrant investigation in future but for now there would be no way around it. Reading the word again brought back the urge to chew her lip again, already sore from her previous dip into quiet panic but the physical discomfort paled in comparison to the inner turmoil she was experiencing.
Arriving in Raccoon City Jill had a singular goal in mind. Become the best God damned cop she could be. And that she did. She was easily one of the team's most decorated agents and had a list of accomplishments a mile long. And what had that cost her? Nothing that she cared about at the time but the biggest casualty was now staring her right in the face. Her social life was essentially non-existent. All of her friends in the city outside of her squadmates were located within her in her apartment. She turned and looked towards the orange cat, giving it a sad smile and patting the couch beside her. The feline hopped down from its perch and though it marched towards her at a rather leisurely pace it did eventually take the spot beside her so that she could give it a few gentle scratches.
"Where would I be without you hun?"
Alone. Alone except for her squadmates but that was a no go zone, plain and simple. There was a rule when it came to working with people who you had to depend on for your life. Limit the number of reasons they ever had to dislike you. And Jill had chosen to tackle that particular challenge by limiting her interactions with them as best she could. Sure she trained with them each day and every so often joined them for drinks after a long shift but for the most part kept her distance. There were no spurned lovers or ex-best friends she had to worry about trusting when in the middle of a mission.
With one exception. Back when she was still a recruit Jill had been assigned a partner. The goal was to hold each other accountable to ensure that each of both would eventually become the best agents they could be. Without any pride Jill knew that she was one of the best that STARS had to offer. Aside from Wesker himself there was nobody quite on her level when it came to performance. Nobody except for one Chris Redfield, Jill's own partner. He was the face of STARS. Highly devoted, intelligent, and easy on the eyes, the press ate him up. After every mission he would be the first one the cameras or microphones were pointed to. His face had appeared on the front page of the morning news a dozen times and it wouldn't be exaggeration to say he developed a sort of folk hero status among the city's residents.
Jill found herself smirking since on paper Chris sounded like an asshole. A glory hound who ate up all the credit for the team's efforts. But when the cameras weren't on him and it was just the team he really acted like the hero they all thought he was. He was more than just the face of the team, he was the heart, always there for any member of the squad no matter what. Whether that meant running back into a burning building to save a fallen comrade or doing something as simple as helping Jill move into a bigger apartment when her last promotion came through.
The image of that brought something back that she didn't quite know how to feel about. Coming back in with her final box in her hands she caught him at the dining room table with his shirt off, muscles on full display with a beer in hand and another waiting for her. He was rubbing the back of his neck when she approached, letting out a chuckle.
"Was gonna wait for you but you were taking too long. Hope you don't mind a quick cheers before I head off."
Jill's cheeks flushed even now as she recalled the thought that had entered her mind. The urge to go get him another beer and tell him to forget all about going home. But she didn't. They shared a few laughs just like they always did and then she walked out the door before running to the window to watch him head off down the block until he was out of sight. She valued every single of her brothers and sisters in arms but there was only one she could say she truly trusted no matter what. Chris could come barging in right now and tell her the apocalypse was going on outside and she'd have her gun ready to fight with him before he could finish the thought.
The idea brought a much needed laugh to her lips as she imagined the two of them as survivors, the last man and woman on Earth with no purpose other than to…
Just as things threatened to get spicy there was a knock at the door that forced Jill's heart to skip a beat. For a split second she thought it was her imagination. The Chris related fantasy being so profound that it somehow carried over to the real world but before she could doubt herself too harshly there was another knock. This time Jill got up to her feet, those warrior senses kicking in and removing all those unimportant thoughts from her mind. She wasn't expecting anyone and though she may not have made many friends in her time working with STARS she'd made more than a few enemies. That was cause enough for concern, bringing her to grab her sidearm and strap it to her body while she stepped cautiously to the door. Keeping one hand on the weapon she leaned in to gaze through the peephole.
On the other side was an Asian woman wearing a buttoned up trench coat. One hand was on her hip, the other holding a pair of dark sunglasses which she tapped nervously against her leg. Jill failed to recognize her but that was a good thing as much as a bad one. It meant that she wasn't someone who definitely hated her guts but that also didn't mean she wasn't hired by someone who hated her guts.
"Hello? Anyone home?"
The woman stepped forward to knock again, speaking only after pounding her fist harshly against the wood a few more times.
"It's your new neighbor! Look please just tell me you're home…"
Jill recalled seeing moving trucks pulling up when she'd left for work a week prior but hadn't realized that it could be for her neighboring apartment. The place had been vacant since she'd move in so the story added up. Not to mention the woman sounded desperate and hearing her voice Jill knew she had little other choice. Undoing the locks on her door she kept one hand on her holster as she cracked it open just enough for the asian woman to make out her face. Immediately Jill could see the relief in across her face as they made eye contact, the stranger letting out an exaggerated.
"Thank God…"
Before standing up a little straighter and adjusting her hair short cut dark hair.
"I don't think we've met yet. My name is Ada. Ada Wong. I just moved in next store a few days back."
Jill gave a slow nod in turn and looked the woman over. The trench coat made it difficult to get a good look at her figure but she seemed on the thinner side with a pretty face that hardly needed any makeup. Aside from the visual Ada was wearing a sweet smelling perfume, one strong enough to make Jill scrunch her nose just slightly.
"Jill Valentine. Something I can help you with ?"
Ada flashed a small smile in return, nodding her head.
"Well…it's a little embarrassing. Could I come inside? Oh and Ada is just fine."
Jill hesitated for a moment weighing in her options. If this woman was some hitman sent to kill her she was a pretty good actor. And her story of moving in checked out, though knocking on her door on a random evening begging for entrance was something of a red flag. Then again she had just spent the last hour since come home from work wallowing in her own failure to have a social life and you didn't make friends by refusing people in their time of need. With that Jill pulled the door open. Ada's relieved smile grew wider and she prepared to accept the invitation inside, stopping only to stare at Jill's waist.
"Umm…is that..?"
Jill looked down, wincing as she realized her holster was still there with the butt of her service weapon clearly visible.
"Yeah but you don't have to worry. I'm a cop. S.T.A.R.S team actually."
The explanation succeeded in getting Ada to relax and step inside. Looking at her from behind Jill was able to confirm that the woman appeared to be unarmed although it was possible for a smaller firearm to be tucked away in that jacket.
"If you're planning on staying I can take your coat."
Ada turned to look at her and felt a rush unlike the one she had only a few moments ago recalling her interaction with Chris. Damn she's pretty… The thought slipped into her mind whether she wanted it to or not. And that was not an assessment that was going anywhere as Ada unbuttoned her coat to reveal the tight red dress beneath. Jill had to catch herself to ensure her mouth didn't open in surprise as the lovely number left little to the imagination. Which wasn't to say it wasn't classy, merely confident in the way it showed off her slim figure. The dress combined with the dark stockings beneath and blood red heels gave the impression of being ready for a night on the town.
Jill cleared her throat trying to fight the urge to stare for any longer by turning away to hang up the jacket on a nearby rack. Meanwhile she listened to the sound of her cat purring as well as the sounds of Ada's heels clicking against the floor while her guest made her way over to the pet.
"Awww she's adorable. Does she have a name?"
Jill again found some heat return to her cheeks, turning around to watch as Ada scratched the cat exactly where she loved and made her purr accordingly.
"She doesn't actually. She followed me home one day and since she didn't have a collar I just sort of took her in."
Jill shook her head as she walked passed Ada, the cat following her which led all three of them back into the living room.
"I'm not sure why it felt strange giving her a name so I just call her little pet names now and then."
Ada chuckled and nodded along. Something about the woman was odd to Jill. She had an aura about her that should have been irritating but Jill wasn't frustrated in the slightest. In fact she wanted to know more about her.
"That's adorable. I didn't even know this building allowed pets."
Jill winced at that, giving a shy shrug as she looked down at the cat who had returned to grooming its orange coat.
"They actually don't. Mind not telling the landlord…?"
In return Ada gave her a wink, pressing her fingers to her lips and sealing them shut with an invisible zipper. Jill found herself chuckling at the gesture, the stress that had been accumulating from her decision melting away.
"Oh! That reminds me why I barged in her in the first place. Can I use your phone?"
Now it was Ada's turn to look sheepish. In fact Jill could sense the shame emanating from the woman to the point where she hesitated even asking why. But curiosity won out as she went to grab the landline.
"Sure thing. Mind if I ask why…?"
Silence for a few seconds, one that Jill could relate to. It was the same kind of silence she or her squadmates would give to Wesker when they knew they screwed something up. An embarrassed, heavy quiet that grew worse the longer it took to build up the courage to finally come out and say it. Luckily for the both of them Ada woke up her own nerve rather quickly.
"I um…got mugged. Creep grabbed my purse in the subway and booked it. By the time I caught up with him he'd hopped on a train and was headed off God know's where. That bag had my key, my wallet, ugh…"
Jill couldn't help but feel guilty as she handed the phone over to the poor woman. For all her and the rest of the Raccoon City Police Department's efforts, the city still had its fair share of bad apples. And it didn't help that Ada was gonna be the perfect target. Those punk types loved to go for pretty girls, likely some kind of power trip that made Jill feel gross to even think about. She knew she couldn't be everywhere stopping every crime like some sort of superhero but for every drug bust and mafia ring taken down there was still women like Ada falling victim to the city's worst side.
"Here you go. Take as much time as you need. Why don't I get us something to drink?"
Ada nodded her thanks while Jill took to the kitchen. Her first instinct was to grab a glass of water but she stopped and took a careful look at the bottle of wine sitting on her counter. It was a birthday gift from a few weeks back from one of her squadmates. In the time since she'd never had the occasion to pop it open but after the stress of the invitation and Ada's own plight it sounded like the both of them could use a drink.
A few minutes later Jill returned to find Ada on her couch, still looking stressed but less so than before. Being offered the glass seemed to only further succeed in getting her nerves to calm, gladly accepting the offer and immediately taking a long sip. Jill chuckled and took a seat before sipping herself.
"We all have those days. How did the calls go?"
Ada shook her head, swirling the wine around in its glass while laying back against the couch. Her free hand went right to the cat's head, the clever feline perched to be in the perfect spot for such touches.
"About as I expected. The cops took a description of my bag and jotted down my name but said the chances of finding anything are slim. And I tried for a locksmith but he said he wouldn't be available until tomorrow morning."
Ada's sheepish look returned while she leaned in closer towards Jill.
"I don't suppose you could lend a gal a few books for a hotel room could you? I swear I'll pay you back the moment I get back into my place and can grab some cash."
Jill though held up her hand in the same way she'd seen Wesker do time and time again to silence someone's babbling. He was good at that, commanding a space, just as he was skilled in commanding the rest of the team. While Jill was unsure if her own skills matched his she did find the technique worked in quieting Ada.
"I'll do you one better. Wait until I finish this glass and I'll pop it open for you. They called me the Master of Lockpicking at the academy you know."
Ada smirked, rolling her eyes.
"You're not serious."
"Unfortunately I am. About the nickname part at least. That was a little on the nose for my tastes. But you'd be surprised what a special forces agent is capable of."
Ada nodded her head and took another sip from her drink. Jill could read that Ada was indeed impressed from her look alone which gave Jill a touch of pride. One that let her lower her guard long enough to not notice as Ada picked up the invitation that was still laid across the cushions of the couch.
"Hey what's this…?"
Jill was mid-sip of wine when the question was broached but couldn't reply fast enough, nearly choking on her drink as Ada opened it up and read the contents to herself.
"Oooooh a gala? Guess you really are a hotshot cop."
Ada shut the invitation and placed it back where she found it while Jill raised an eyebrow towards her.
"You thought I was lying?"
Ada giggled and shrugged her shoulders.
"You answered the door packing heat and just told me you could pick locks. I was starting to have my doubts."
The candor in her voice culled Jill's inhibitions through the reminder of the invitation's existence was enough to bring her to polish off what wine was left in her glass.
"Trust me, if it's something you're interested in I wouldn't mind switching places. I can't stand these things."
Ada was shaking her head before she even finished, leaning forward to place her glass down on the table in front of them.
"Can't stand the party or the idea of bringing a date?"
Jill could hardly hide her shock as Ada hit the nail right on the head. The woman in the red dress chuckled and gave an affirmative nod.
"Well that look proves it. You don't have a date."
Jill scoffed, prepared to come up with some excuse but that desire quickly fell through. What did she have to prove to this woman after all? They hadn't known each other for more than a few minutes.
"How did you know…?"
Ada just rolled her eyes.
"Oh please. No offense babe but you're alone on a Friday night and you break out the good wine for a random stranger. Doesn't exactly take a super detective to figure that one out."
Her words stung Jill in a way she hadn't been expecting. Normally an evening in and alone wouldn't bother her in the slightest. She'd pick up a movie on the way home, order some takeout, and then hit the sheets. Put so plainly however it did sound lonely and even a little pathetic. Ada quickly realized how harsh her words likely came off as, moving closer to Jill until the cop could feel the fabric of Ada's stocking against her leg.
"I'm sorry that came out wrong. I only meant I'm surprised is all. A sexy super cop like yourself could probably get any guy she wanted in the city."
Jill looked up to her, trying to scan her face to see if there was any indication of Ada's words ringing empty but coming up blank. She was being sincere and the realization of that forced a new wave of blush into Jill's cheeks as Ada went on to whisper, almost as if she didn't want Jill to hear.
"...or woman."
Those two words alone forced Jill to shoot up to her feet with glass in hand.
"Why don't I go get my toolkit so we can see about getting that door open for you?"
Jill blurted the words out mid stride towards her own bedroom, not giving Ada room to reply. The night was confusing enough as is without a red dressed stranger waltzing into her apartment judging her life choices. An admittedly breathtakingly pretty stranger who's boldness should have been a pet peeve but felt like entirely the opposite.
Jill pushed the idea out of her mind and returned a minute later with the toolkit. Ada was already by the door, her jacket draped over her forearm waiting for Jill. Just as Jill reached for the door though Ada took her by the wrist to stop her. When Jill looked into her eyes she saw that they were once again pure with sincerity.
"Look, I'm sorry. I have a bad habit of getting too comfortable around people and just saying things that aren't appropriate. You've been nothing but a lifesaver and I don't want to come off as rude. So how about this?"
Ada's smile returned, small at first as she released Jill's wrist to get the door herself.
"Why don't you come to my place tomorrow for lunch? I have plans in the evening but I'd really love to pay you back for this. Please?"
Jill could feel her heart slowly starting to beat faster in her chest. She wanted to turn down the woman's offer, express that getting her home safe would be reward enough. And yet she wanted more. The fact that Ada was even willing to spend more time with her was more than she could ask for.
"Sure…I think I'd like that."
Ada's smile grew wider as she opened the door and Jill stepped through.
"Now let's see about that lock shall we?"