Author's Note: Whoo, another piece to my list! And another Valenfield, if I must be honest XDDD So, this is a special dedication to The Magnificent Kiwi because, as her pen-name says, she's magnificent and an awesome friend x333 I really hope you find it of your taste, Kiwi x3

Disclaimer: I do not own Resident Evil or any of its characters.
Note: This has got its lemonish hints at the end, not that much though. Still, if you're uncomfortable with it, skip it.

You never know how many turns your life can take.

It was a random thought that popped into my mind a few months ago and now I'm realizing how right it is. When I was younger I always thought it'd be stereotyped and inflexible, the typical destiny thing and such, but a few events in my life made me change my mind about that. Events which were good and bad, which I cherish and want to forget; you know, like it always happens.

It all started a good eleven years ago; that fateful year, 1998. Or maybe... wait, maybe it goes back to 1996, when I met him for the first time. Yeah, it's Chris who I'm referring to, obviously. Now that I think about it, meeting him made me whole life give a huge spin; he was like the key piece my puzzle needed. It's sort of strange to know how people can influence in your life, but that's how everything goes. Yup, he made me change a bit, not only because I love him... but that's another story to be told later on.

It was like the usual meeting at work of a rookie in her first day on the job. You know, he'd been in S.T.A.R.S. for a few months more than me and, once I made it inside the unit, Chris was in charge of... showing me around, make sure I was treated properly -since I was the only woman in both teams- and all that stuff. At first he seemed a slacker and a bit of a cocky guy, but you know that appearances always deceive. Since I was assigned to the same team as him, communication wasn't too difficult. A few months after, we were officially best partners, best friends. I don't know, but 'friend' has always seemed like a very strong word for me to use with someone who you barely know, so I avoid using it at first. Chris was the exception: he deserved it from the first word we exchanged (which was a normal 'Hello', nothing special).

After the Mansion Incident in July two years after, it all went down to Hell. We were all left devastated after Wesker's betrayal, the deaths of our friends, Irons' ignorance, and even though I started getting out of the hole a few weeks later, it didn't happen the same with Chris, much to our dismay. He changed -we all changed, for that matter- but I noticed that it had gotten to him much more than to us. Once I tried a few times to speak with him and I coaxed him into talking to me sincerely, I knew why the vast change.

Out of those conversations -no matter short or long- I reached some conclusions that I've seen that are true. In my years in S.T.A.R.S. and also in our years together as anti-Umbrella activists, I noticed that there were two sides to his persona, both incredibly different. Of course, everyone has them but now I'm focusing on him. I had always seen a friendly and outgoing side to him, always countered by his faults -you know, bit of a short tempter, slight clumsiness (he even declared himself as a klutz more than a few times) and others- but what I saw in him later was a completely different person. Because of that dark aura of his, I even feared that I wasn't talking to the Chris Redfield I knew anymore.

With the progress we made throughout the next years, Chris slowly lost that dark demeanour and became a bit more chipper. In some of the missions, I noticed how heavy the responsibility on his shoulders was and I thought that, at this rate, he would be carrying the weight of the whole world. That was one of the aspects we soon saw in another light.

Chris had always been the foundations of what we were. His nature as a leader, a capable and responsible leader, somehow drove me and others to look up to him, to expect all that is expected from someone like him. In spite of that, it was very noticeable that it was also taking its toll on him and even though I had tried many times to alleviate the pressure, he shrugged it off like it was nothing. Every day that went by, I had the feeling that he would shatter like a pane of glass, whether he was strong or not. And even though he was, since he had gone through many situations in life I wouldn't have imagined myself experiencing, there was always so much he could take.

But I'd say that's all in the past now; well, not a far away past, but still the past. Right now, it's December 31st, 2003.

Yes, we've taken care of Umbrella. That company is no more. Still, a thought haunted us constantly, without relent: Wesker was still out there. He is our main priority and whilst we're still after him, he's still after us too.

As much as I'd like to give it some importance, I want to give this a bit more -who am I kidding? I want to give it a lot more of importance. For some reason, I want to talk about what happened yesterday... quite one of those days you do not want to forget.

Since we couldn't find a decent residence that could keep us in touch with the BSAA, we decided to move to Ottawa to have them in our reach, since their center of operations was initially there and still is, for that matter, till further instructions from the Consortium. We were both guaranteed paid residences (so there goes the need to worry about mortgages) but of course, thanks to our pigheadedness, we managed to get both flats just a block away, so we were officially neighbors then. That goes for introduction, so you don't get lost.

It was yesterday, the 30th, that I decided to do what I hadn't done in ages: I went ice-skating at the Rideau Canal, the world's largest skating rink. To be honest, at this time of the year, it was freezing but I really didn't care: I needed some fresh air, get rid of the stress on the way. I got there a bit late, so there was not a lot of people around, just the few enjoying the last moments of their time. I wore my skates, got them ready and headed off to practice. After a series of not too serious mishaps, I managed to keep my balance; I hadn't skated since I was sixteen, and now that I'm twenty-nine... yes, a lot of time has gone by.

It all marched well, yes; I stayed there for a good half an hour, practicing tricks and moves that proved to be tricky -excuse the repetition- with all the warm clothes on, but I could do something. Then, someone disturbed my peace of mind; well, not really disturb but something close to it.

And you can wonder what happened in the next few hours.

xx

There had been nothing to expect: it was a normal day. No clouds on the sky, a nice beaming sun and a weather cold as hell; that could've been and was, in fact, Jill's description of the day. Well, there had been nothing to expect until she heard someone approaching her, his or her skates sliding above the ice with a loud sound, and it proved out to be a he: Chris Redfield in person... and ice-skating.

So, the klutz knows how to do something after all? Jill had to agree with her mind, currently in 'Tease' mode. Then it switched to 'Normal-and-not-so-normal' mode, since she could not keep herself from flattering him inwardly: radiant blue eyes met hers, his still young features mirroring something close to glee, and a demeanor which did tell her that he was in a lighter mood. They didn't say anything for a moment which felt like aeons to Jill, since she was taken a bit aback by his sudden appearance.

"Care for some company?" he asked, not cracking any smiles; his eyes said everything. Jill hadn't accounted for being alone, so she agreed with a shake of her head. She then noticed the thick black and white scarf wrapped around his neck and, since there seemed to be no topic of conversation to speak about, she chose the scarf as the first one.

"So you wore it at last," she said, dropping the hint.

"I wanted to keep it for a special occasion, even though we haven't had much over the years," Chris replied, not looking at her. Jill's mood dropped a bit: okay, she could use his company, but not if he seemed so distant. Maybe it was him who was seeking hers? She didn't know but if that was the case, she had a very clear idea of the reason why.

Then, as she slowed down a bit, Chris spun around and skated backwards, his gaze trained on hers as he stared at her long and hard. Judging by how restless he seemed -if that was actually the thing-, Jill could tell he was thinking, but what? What could be crossing his mind in those instants?

"So, what else can you do? Pull six three-sixty spins on the tip of your skate?" Jill asked him, cracking a faint smile to ease the tension -if there was. It was then that Chris grimaced, shrugging afterwards in a nonchalant manner.

"I once tried," he said, "and oh, didn't that mark me for life." As her smile grew wider, out of instinct, he placed himself at her left, this time skating as it was meant to be. Surprisingly enough for her, there were no laughs or chuckles coming from him, just silence. She knew he was still getting used to having a calm life, in a way.

After the silence, Chris asked, "So, what brings you here, Valentine?"

"Well, I could ask you the same. How long have you been here?" Jill asked in return, leaving her hands inside her thick coat's pockets. She looked up at the sky, pensive as she waited for his answer, and stared at the orange and pinkish shades of the canopy as the sun started to set.

"I don't know, really. I guess I lost track of time," he replied, but Jill only caught his last sentence. At last, she diverted her attention back to Chris, who had stopped and was staying still, his gaze lost and blank. Jill turned around and snapped him back into reality calling his name.

"Why are you spacing out?" Chris asked then, and he cracked the first smile she'd seen in a long time. Yes, he could've smiled other times, but it seemed this time he meant it.

"Look who's talking now, eh?" Jill retorted, feeling at ease. "Well, I've just spaced out, so the rhetoric isn't of much use, by the way. I was thinking... about where our life will go after this. It's true, it's been months since the incident at the Caucasus, but I can't help it: it keeps roaming my mind." She sighed. "Sorry if I brought that up, but you would've asked anyway."

"There's no need to apologize," Chris replied, skating towards her. "I've been thinking the same lately; hasn't left my mind. I'm not much of an optimist, you know that, but where our lives will go is up to us. We're the ones that can make it turn."

Jill nodded. "You're right. I can't help thinking about it, you know. It's a nagging feeling I can't shake off."

"Well then, give a good shake and it'll go away!" he said in a more chipper tone. Jill sure heard his light chuckle: he was indeed lightening up. "Actually, I've been thinking about something too."

"Oh, what's that?" Jill inquired, curious. Where would this go? Knowing Chris, nowhere good.

"Well... I want to ask you something and I... hope I get the answer I'm looking for but that's up to you. So-"

"C'mon, get on with it!" Jill exclaimed, smiling as she shook him by the shoulders. Chris wasn't fazed by the movement and kept a poker face. Eventually, he took her wrists and left her hands in his. Jill felt her breath hitch; such a trivial gesture, but one that meant so much to her.

"You didn't even let me finish!" Chris shot back, frowning. "And you want me to be quick huh? Well, I was wondering if you wantedtodosomethingwithmetoday."

"What?!" Jill was taken aback by how fast he'd spoken, and she cocked an eyebrow to show her surprise. Chris smiled a bit wider and nodded in understanding.

"Okay, okay, I went too fast. Thing is, would you like to do something in my company? I didn't exactly phrase it like that, but you get the drift," he explained, good-natured.

"Aren't we doing something together already?"

"Well, I meant like something more." Both of them fell silent there, Jill feeling a knot in her stomach. "And don't take it the wrong way," Chris soon rushed to add, looking a bit shy yet not breaking eye contact.

"Oh come on, I know what you mean," Jill then said, punching his shoulder lightly. "I'm not taking it the wrong way; you should know me better than to think that of me."

Chris rolled his eyes. "I can't exactly read minds, Valentine, so there's no way of telling what's going through that mind of yours. Apparently nothing good, if I may say so."

"Let me guess what's going through yours!" Jill soon gave a chuckle that, to her, sounded close to a laugh. It had been something she hadn't forgotten how to do, but that now felt a bit strange. "In any case, returning to the topic you set out, it sounds good."

Chris' eyes lit up more than they already were. "Perfect! That's the answer I was expecting."

"And you said you weren't much of an optimist?" she asked, smiling. "That told a lot about that. Say, what do you have planned?"

Chris seemed a bit caught up with that question, but then said, "If you sit well with improvisation, I could... hey! What says you come to my place for a while? You still haven't seen it." Jill nodded, tilting her head.

"Okay, I would like that. And don't worry, I've improvised many times before," she replied, suddenly noticing where her hands were: still taken by Chris'. She was a bit nervous, that much was true, but she had the hopes her 'date' -if she could call it that, which she refused to do- would turn out alright.

"Fine then. Tell me, where are your- Oh, right around your neck." Jill looked down at her shoes, each one hanging from the end of a rope strung around her neck, and nodded. "Follow me then; I left mine a few meters ahead."

After they fetched his shoes, it didn't take them long to get to Chris' flat, since it was quite near the rink, and by the time they got there, the sun had almost set. They didn't talk much along the way, but the silence felt comfortable for Jill. Not that she was seeking comfort in his company- hell, friends tended to do that with each other! With Chris was different though, in many ways she couldn't describe now. It was a deep silence the one they shared, yes, but not one she felt tense in. During their walk, Jill stole random glances at him... just in case.

Once having crossed the door to his flat, Jill couldn't help a smile. The last time she had been in his place had been in New York, after she'd left Raccoon City in her search for him. There, she had seen his style and likes of furniture and comparing that flat with this one, the changes were minimal. There was still a big comfy couch in his living room, a pair of shelves with some books on them, dark colored curtains and many things she remembered having seen before.

"This is it," said Chris as he stepped in further and spread out his arms with a shrug. "It's not much, but I've saved a lot of money from the mortgage."

"I had thought the same about mine," Jill agreed as she hung her coat behind the door. She had another brief look around, catching sight of a few framed photographs upon a set of drawers. "Hey, can I have a look at them?"

"Sure, go ahead," Chris spoke with a nod as he joined her. Jill picked up the first one that caught her attention, one that showed a much younger Chris atop a man's shoulder, sitting on it with a goofy grin on his face. She assumed the man was his father, and she suddenly felt a bit uneasy: his deceased parents were not a very nice subject to touch.

"As you can guess, that's me and my father, Sean," Chris said, looking over her shoulder. "I was barely six there and hell, don't I remember a lot of things from that age."

"You do?"

"Surprisingly enough, I remember a lot of things from when I was six but not a lot from later years," he replied, becoming pensive for a second, "like, for example, that we went fishing on my sixth."

"I didn't know you had a fondness for fishing," Jill remarked, setting the photograph down. Chris tucked his hands inside his pockets as Jill examined the other photographs. Suddenly, she stumbled across one that showed her and Chris, both with their S.T.A.R.S. uniforms, smiling widely at the camera as Jill had one arm slung around his neck and was making him lean forward. A flurry of emotions overcame her when she saw the picture, and she then felt an encouraging nudge from Chris, who seemed to have noticed the change in her features she had also sensed.

"I keep it for encouragement," he said, and Jill could've sworn he seemed about to open up. He had always been like a tightly closed book, never to let its contents show. "It brings up memories of bad times, sure, but it always tells me the same thing: that what I'm doing, what we are doing is worth it, no matter what. Remember it was Joseph who took the picture?"

"Oh, yeah, I remember that!" she exclaimed then, nodding. "He would keep doing the same to you from that moment on until you snapped. Silly him, he already saw us like lovebirds." Saying that felt weird: had that been a wrong choice of words?

"You know he was our Frosty, and the typical joker too," Chris piped up, his tone wistful, "although that doesn't take away the feeling of having wanted to punch him sometimes. Man, wasn't he a pain with the lovebird thing."

"He could be, but I still miss him," Jill said with a sigh, lowering her head. "I miss them all, Chris, and badly. We have to get over it, that might be, but it's hard to let it all go."

"Hey," he called, "we could've lost the battle there, but we haven't lost the war yet. In fact, look at our victory! We've taken down those who killed them, though not the main factor. We will get him, I'm sure of it, and we'll do it together." Jill fell silent for a few moments, tempted to smile at his words, but her lips didn't move. It was a smile she didn't manage to show.

"Glad to know you'll still consider our partnership," she replied at last, smiling up at him.

"Partnership, friendship, 'whatever'-ship, but yeah, I'll still consider it," Chris agreed. "You can't really ask me to ditch you now and sweep everything under the rug, like it had never happened, can you now?" he then asked, with an undertone Jill didn't know how to interpret; at least, at first. She had a terrible hunch, a big one, and she had to trust it: it would lead her where she wanted to be led, where she had always wanted to be led.

They shared a long gaze, a long silence, but no words. There came a point when Jill found Chris' presence overwhelming: he was so close to her, and so was she to him, that it was unsettling. Unconsciously, she leaned in closer to him, a lot closer, felt him do the same, until she showed her hesitation by breaking the silence.

"Chris-" It even felt odd saying his name, having felt a bitter taste in her mouth the moment the name had left her lips, but Chris silenced her before she could say anything else. Somehow, it was what she wanted.

"Don't," he whispered, his movements lithe and slow.

And his lips finally caressed hers.

It was the first time their lips made contact, his capturing hers in a slow, tender kiss. Jill didn't waste her chances and soon kissed him back, pouring all emotion and intensity possible without stepping over the line. The few moments of rationality she still had before forgetting about everything made her think for a moment, but all in vain: she didn't want to think at all. A hand of his rested upon her neck as he deepened the kiss ever so slightly; it helped her let go and give in. In the end, they separated, although she wasn't willing to. With a knot of timidness in her stomach, she glanced up at him, found his shy gaze staring down at her.

"It's said that a moment of peace doesn't last long," he said with a smile. "Let's make it longer ourselves; what do you say?"

With less shyness, she replied, "I like the sound of that. Let's make it longer, as long as we want."

Without waiting, she closed the gap between them and kissed him again, this time with a lot more strength as she left her arms around his neck. Ipso facto, Chris snaked his around her waist and held her close, his lips fierce but gentle at the same time. Her fingers got entangled in his hair, admiring its touch under her fingertips, and he then pinned her gently against the wall. One of his own fingers traced up her thigh and in spite of the thick cloth between his fingertip and her skin, Jill could feel his coldness as if it were exposed.

Jill also allowed herself some exploring: her hands made they way up his abdomen and chest, feeling hard muscle under her hands. They paused to calm their escalated breathing, but for Jill, the moment was short-lived: his tongue, sliding through her lips and teasing her own, drew her into another kiss, fiercer, stronger, much more sensual. The gesture didn't help her to keep her composure, and Jill released a moan in pleasure as she found herself unable to fight off the arousal.

Breaking away for a second, Chris whispered, "I love you."

Then, he renewed the kiss. Jill felt her knees about to give under her, but she didn't allow them to. Jill knew she was in a state of delirium, no matter how real it felt. Still, she clung to that delirium and didn't let it go, only for the sensation to be heightened by Chris' tender lips upon hers once more, which she gladly kissed back with her tongue playing a part in the kiss.

I love you.

Such three simple words that could change everything.

No matter what, Jill wouldn't forget them.

A/N: And there it goes, Kiwi! I hope you liked it, really, 'cause you can't believe how hard it still is for me to pull a tidbit of lemon xDDD Whatever, I also hope you guys liked it; sincere opinions would mean the world to me.

Reviews are appreciated!^^