A/N: Hey there, here's another chapter. I hope you enjoy this one too. After you see this " &&&" sign, for better dramatic effects, you could listen to Lana del Rey's young and beautiful. Happy reading!
Chapter Twelve:
A day later at work
Edward handed Chris a coffee.
"What's up captain?" Edward smiled,
"Nothing major, really," Chris put his lips to the coffee, sipping slowly. His mind seemed to be gurgling many different thoughts at once.
"You know the news has reached everyone," he said timidly as he rearranged some office tools.
"What news?" Chris raised an eyebrow, half expecting the answer.
" You know," Edward started hesitantly, "you and Miss Valentine, the red roses and so on."
"Really?" Chris smiled a bit sheepishly, then his smile warped into that smile of a captain giving warmth to his team members, " Who spread the news?"
" Honestly, I don't know. Guess it was first implied and then you know how gossip works. Specially you two big guns who suffer the sandwich making process."
" Apparently, that's how it goes." Chris smiled back with an unknown satisfaction, fiddling with his hands.
Edward was done with his work, so he sat at the desk in front of Chris.
" Captain, may I ask you something personal?" Something bright shot up in his eyes.
" Go on, but I won't teach you adults-related stuff," Chris smirked.
They both laughed.
" No, I'm not asking for that."
" Then what is it soldier?"
" If what they say is true, why don't you tie the knot already? I mean you and Miss Valentine have known each other for more than a decade and she's simply fabulous. Why not marry such a unique individual, have a big family and set some extra time for your personal lives? Don't you think it's time?"
Chris smiled, a smile like bitter dark chocolate. " Boy it's not that simple. Things are gettin complicated as hell," he got up from the desk, putting a hand on Edward's shoulder, " you're young, boy. You still have many great years to come, but the more you go forward, the more serious it becomes. It's then when you have to choose between them; work or personal life."
He cast Edward a glance before leaving,
" Hey and don't say anything about relationships around Jill. She pretends to be strong and she really is, but not at this stage. PTSD is not a good thing to be dealing with. You understand?"
" Rest assured, captain" Edward gave a salute, a big question mark hanging from his face, having lost pieces of the puzzle.
In the afternoon Chris decided to pay the outdoor shooting range a visit. He saw a haze of blue standing back to him, shooting at the targets.
" I can see someone's already infiltrated my mind." Chris shouted from behind, smirking as he approached her.
" Knock it off, Redfield." Jill answered calmly, loading a new cartridge, "I have my own personal plans."
" How about a challenge Valentine?" Chris crossed his arms, his eyes jumping to the guns and targets and then back to Jill.
" What are you gonna bet on?" she loaded the breech of her px4, " as I'm starving, I'd suggest a very big sandwich."
" A Jill sandwich as in that mansion?" Chris asked playfully.
" No, just a big sandwich with your bucks will do." Jill smiled wickedly.
" That sure you're the winner?"
" Did you grant yourself the permission to doubt me, Redfield?" She crossed her arms.
"No," Chris smiled in defeat, " it's just that I don't like sandwiches,"
"How dare you?" Jill asked, amazed, placing hands on her hips " you've never told me that before Chris, have you?"
"Nah, just kidding," he smiled, selecting a weapon.
" Faster and more accurate, ready?"
" As ready as I'll ever be," Chris raised his gun, controlling his breath. One, two, three, he shot the moving target at a fifty meters distance.
When they pushed the button and the result came closer, they saw the performance. One in the heart, one in the head, the last one had missed.
" Perfect as always," Jill said with a hint of sarcasm, punching him in the arm.
Jill focused on the moving target, narrowing her eyes.
One, two, three. Bang, bang, bang.
They pushed the button again to view the work. Jill had been almost two times faster.
One in the heart, one in the brain, one straightly between the eyes.
" Well, what do you say, Chris?"
"You can have your sandwich, but half of it is mine."
" No, that's not our deal," Jill raised her palms, walking around, " I'm getting a hundred percent."
" Whatever," Chris smiled, instantly averting his eyes. Then he sighed internally as Jill walked ahead.
They sat in a small restaurant near the main street, awaiting their order.
" Chris," Jill said with kindness, " that call from yesterday, is it bothering you?"
Chris just smiled, " Jill, I don't wanna get you into this shit as well."
" It's impossible for you to miss, you know? So I get that something's not quite right with you."
Chris looked up into those shades of blue, glowing with care and dedication.
" Jill, you know that Jade's the one who helped us track Wetmore and Jessica." He shifted slightly in his seat.
"True."
" She also claimed I have a son, you probably heard that too."
The waiter placed the sandwich between them.
" Yeah, can't say I didn't." she said, sounding a bit hurt, " question is, do you really have a son Chris?" her honest blue eyes darted back to his dark ones.
" No, there was nothing between me and Jade." He said as he started cutting the sandwich in half, " in fact, I'm the one with a totally clean slate."
" It's not like I'd blame you if you had a son," Jill smiled as she twisted her wrist a bit.
" I know. Your heart is greater than the pacific ocean."
" Your flattery skills are charming Redfield," Jill said with a sly smile as she took a bite.
" I'm not exaggerating Jill. I really mean it."
" So what are you gonna do about it? Are you reuniting with Jade?" Jill took hold of her elbow.
" Yeah, this thing should be sorted out sooner or later. We'll probably test his genes to measure the validity of her claims."
Night had arrived with a purple shade. Chris accompanied Jill to her apartment.
" Chris," Jill said under her lips, "wanna stay tonight?"
" Is it what you want?" Chris put a hand on her shoulder.
" Well, your presence is always welcome if that's what you mean."
He placed his forehead against hers, holding her arms.
" Just say the word and I'll be staying forever."
Jill laughed warmly. They soon entered her home.
Chris observed how the place was clean and tidy. Jill was disciplined even if she was trapped in a grave stone.
" For some reason, today was one of those good days," Jill said as she washed her face with cold water.
" Yeah, no doubt about it." Chris said as he sat on the sofa.
" I was thinking about a break. A real one, the ones that you cancel everything and start globe-trotting, you know?"
" So you've got itchy feet again Valentine? it's completely normal to be craving adventure. Takes your mind off the daily grind."
" Chris," Jill stood behind him, placing her hands on his sides, having changed to something revealing. The creamy silky underwear glittered in the light, the beautiful black bra distinct now , putting the ample porcelain white breasts in cameo against the smooth chest. Chris was definitely not a stranger now,he gulped down his saliva hard. " Wanna come to my bedroom?" Jill inquired, "It's a bit cold here."
" Sure," Chris smiled, following her.
He moved towards the small table next to her bed, picking up a photo frame. The STARS members were all smiling, hands on each others' shoulders. The corner of Chris's lips stretched to a smile as his thumb brushed against each face in the photo.
" Those were sweet memories," Jill said with a sigh as she lied on the bed, stretching her soft long legs, " the past never returns, but the illusions it carries are infinite." She crossed her arms, her gaze drifting to the moon outside, the full moon, glowing a saturated yellowish orange, so close you could reach out to it.
" No, the past doesn't return," Chris sat on bed next to her, " but there's still a future to build," his fingers ran tenderly across her jaw line.
" No, there isn't." she sat straight, "the present dominates both." Her strong azure eyes bore into his.
" I just thought about what you said," Chris said knowingly, giving a reassuring smile, " and you're right about having a break." They looked at each other for a moment in silence.
He suddenly kissed her with flourishing passion, forcing her to lie back against the cold sheets. After a minute they parted, breathing heavily. Chris held the stare for a while, nonverbally getting permission. She nodded. He took off his shirt, revealing the tensed up muscles.
Jill ran her slender finger across his chest like trickling water, down to his six pack. Each muscle well-formed and firm standing on its place. Chris caught his breath. Aphrodisiac.
He slid up her sleep wear against her chest and she willingly threw it aside. He embraced her for a moment, the soft flesh of her thigh against his skin as she draped her legs around him. The skin was so soft, softer than lotion. Jill Valentine, the aphrodite only belonged to him.
Jill clung to him like a valuable possession. If she wasn't going to have him in reality, she would savor each moment of posessing him bit by bit in her dreams.
Very gently, she slipped out of Chris's embrace as she caressed his neck. Chris's face became awash with surprise.
" Sorry Chris, I need this." Jill said as she left the room. Even the way she normally walked was sexy to him.
Jill came back with a bottle of Russian Vodka, pouring it like flood into her glass.
" No Jill, no alcohol." Chris got up, gently grabbing her forearm. He tossed the bottle aside, with enough force just not to break it.
" Chris, let me have it." Jill said firmly with a quivering voice , tears visciously circling up to her heavenly blue irises.
" I won't let you have it," Chris said with a certainty like stainless steel, "Any problems you have, I'm the one who kills them." He stood before her like Zeus, with a confidence like he was the ruler of the world.
She forcefully took a very deep breath to stifle a threatening sob. An instant kiss broke the dam of her eyes, making his face wet with hot salt. Pinning her to the wall disarmed her again, making her numb, void of intrusive thoughts. Chris lifted Jill like a feather, placing her on the big bed carefully like a diamond.
" Chris, I knew we'd share a night like this. It's why I bought this bed," Jill laughed through the tears, " though I don't think I was sane that time."
"Ssh," Chris smiled, placing a finger on her lips, " just close your eyes and relax for a while."
Positioning himself above her, the trail of kisses ran down to the nape of her neck, lower to just above the black lacey bra, down to her navel. Chris watched her every move closely; how she inhaled and exhaled deeply, the rhythm getting complicated, how she squirmed under his touch, how she was losing control and getting shattered. At this point, if it was therapy or affection, it didn't matter. It just mattered that it was there. Chris was there with her and he wanted her; he cared about her.
They turned the lights off, the exploration becominh deeper and darker. After a climax of centuries old erotica, soft moans and thousands of other instinctive acts slithering in the dark room, Jill was fast asleep, Chris sleeping next to him.
She deserves all the peace in the world.
Full, satisfied, stretched, invigorated, Jill Valentine was having good dreams. Maybe it was supposed to come to an end.