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Chapter Text

Jill

Jill watched the rubble of Raccoon City disappear from the helicopter’s view. Her mind raced with thoughts of revenge. She had sworn vengeance on her former captain, Albert Wesker, when he led her comrades to their deaths in the Arklay Mountains. But now, after Umbrella had declared war on the remaining S.T.A.R.S. and destroyed her home, she was ready to burn everything down.

Her first move would be getting in touch with Chris Redfield. He left for Europe three weeks ago after Police Chief Irons swept the Arklay incident under the rug. While Chris started investigating Umbrella abroad, Jill stayed behind to keep up appearances and wrap-up loose ends in Raccoon City. So much for that, she thought with a clenched jaw.  

She started formulating her plan to join Chris in Europe when a voice at the front of the helicopter brought her back to reality.

“We should have enough fuel to get over to the next town,” Carlos shouted over the roar of the rotor blades. “Not sure how long that will take. Why don’t you get some rest?”

Jill didn’t need rest. What she needed was to get back to work as soon as possible. “I’m fine.”

“I know you are, but do it for me. I haven’t slept in days. Once we land, you’re going to have to be alert enough for the both of us.”

Us. Jill felt something in her chest. Maybe it was just guilt for dragging him into all this. “I’m good, I promise. I don’t think I could sleep if I tried.”

A grin crept across his face. “What, too loud for you? Do some time in the military and you’ll learn to sleep anywhere.”

He still had a lot to learn, she thought while rolling her eyes. Jill held onto the seat’s headrest for support as she made her way to the co-pilot’s chair. “I’m ex-Army, soldier boy.”

“Of course.” Carlos shook his head with a chuckle. “Guess you don’t just become Supercop overnight, huh?”

“Takes a lot of work to get this good.” She got comfortable in the seat next to him. “As for sleep, I’m lucky to get any with the nightmares I have.”

He frowned. Glancing in her direction, their eyes met. “I’ve been thinking,” he started to say, but was cut off by something catching his attention. He turned back to the windshield. “What’s that?”

Jill leaned forward. A caravan of Humvees created a perimeter on the ground ahead of them. As they got closer, she could make out armed soldiers stationed throughout the desert.

Carlos pulled on the radio headset. He toggled the frequency until he was satisfied. Pausing to listen, his hands tightened around the controls. “Fuck.”

Jill didn’t like the sound of it. “What?”

“They’re ordering us to land immediately. Say they’ll shoot us out of the sky if we don’t comply.”

“Are you kidding me?” Jill braced herself against her seat. When was it going to end?

Carlos maneuvered the helicopter to stay parallel with the blockade. “Military must be trying to limit who is coming out of the city.” 

“Or ‘what’,” Jill said more to herself.

He didn’t hear her. Too busy communicating with the ground on further instruction.

While Carlos prepared to land, Jill remembered the bloodied bandage on her arm where the Nemesis had attacked her. She felt a sudden panic. Jill tried to keep her composure, waiting until the helicopter safely touched down before she voiced her concerns.

Once Carlos had turned off the aircraft and removed his headphones, she turned and grabbed him by the arm.

“Listen to me,” she said, “you can’t let me them know I was infected. Even if they believe us about the vaccine-”

“Hey, deep breath.” Carlos faced her, their knees touching as he clasped her hand. “I’m not telling them shit. We’ll go out there, play nice, and leave. Trust me?”  

It’s not you I’m worried about, she thought. But they didn’t have any other option. “Yeah, I’m ready.”   

He squeezed her hand before letting go and stepping out of the helicopter.

A line of soldiers in full body armor and gas masks were standing at the ready. They kept their distance with guns raised. The one in command ordered Carlos and Jill on the ground.

Jill put her hands in the air. The officer continued to bark instructions until she was lying flat on her stomach. She glanced over at Carlos to find him next to her in the same position.

“Any sudden moves and I’ll shoot,” the officer said as he advanced. He approached at a cautious pace, demanding information.

Jill rattled off her credentials while he inspected her from above. He pulled her handgun from her belt and kicked it to the side before moving on to Carlos. She winced when Carlos identified himself as a member of the U.B.C.S. There was no point in lying. The evidence was plastered all over his clothing.

When the officer was satisfied, he stepped back and ordered Jill on her feet. “Slowly,” he said as Jill started to push herself up. “You follow me.”  

Jill motioned to Carlos who was still on the ground. “What about him?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

Carlos spoke to her in a hushed voice. “Go, Jill. I’ll be fine.”

She stayed knelt beside him. “No. I’m not leaving without you.”

“I said ‘move’. Now.” The officer’s trigger finger slid to the ready position.

Carlos turned his head to look at her. “Play nice, remember? I’ll catch up with you later. Please.”

“On your feet.” The officer said, “I’m not telling you again!”

Jill dug her fingernails into her palms and obeyed. She looked at Carlos one last time before standing and facing the officer.

Another solider stepped forward with his gun on her. “You stay ten feet behind and you walk slow. Do you understand?”

“Jesus Christ, I’m not infected.”

The soldier didn’t falter. “I repeat, do you understand?”

“Yes.” Jill followed the officer at a distance until she was herded into the back of an armored van. She sat alone, metal bars separating her from the driver in the front. “Where are you taking me?”

The driver didn’t look at her as he started the vehicle. “You are being transported to a nearby base. You will be quarantined under observation until it is deemed you are not a threat to yourself or others.”

“And then what happens?”

“Next steps will be determined after you are medically cleared.”

“Great.” Jill said, settling back on the bench. She hoped this would be over quick. She was itching to get back to work and she hadn’t penciled this bureaucratic bullshit into her calendar.

As she calmed down from the initial irritation of the situation, she also hoped that Carlos would be alright.

When the van stopped hours later, more soldiers escorted her into a medical research center. The staff assigned her a private room. A nurse interviewed her from a distance, asking Jill to detail her injuries. After Jill lied and said the cut on her arm was caused by a metal rod, she was prescribed antibiotics and painkillers to accompany her meals. The nurse ordered her to quarantine for the next five days.

The armed guard posted outside her door made it clear that she was not allowed to leave her room under any circumstances.

Jill was able to shower in the bathroom attached to her room. Her toiletry bag included fresh bandaging and antiseptic so that she could care for her own injuries. She was told she would receive medical attention after she had completed the quarantine period. Not that Jill minded. If she was going to be trapped here, the least they could do was take the necessary precautions to avoid an outbreak. The occasional sound of gunfire in the building didn't bother her. Someone failed the zombie test, she’d think to herself from the comfort of her room.  

They allowed her a pen and paper to keep her occupied. She spent the days trying to document everything she had seen in Racoon City. Jill told herself it would make it easier to debrief Chris when they reunited, but the plotting was the only thing that kept her distracted. Once the adrenaline had dissipated, Jill could feel every cut and bruise that painted her skin.

In the quiet serenity of isolation, her thoughts would wander into forbidden territory. Where she should have been focused on Umbrella, she found herself wondering if Carlos was alright.

She thought their partnership had been solely based on survival. He had saved her life back there. She told herself that she owed it to him to make sure he got out alive. But now, as she sat safely locked away, Jill wondered what was going to happen to him once this was all over.

For years, her closest relationships had been her fellow S.T.A.R.S. members. After Arklay, she and Chris had found a new purpose in avenging those they lost. Carlos didn’t fit into that identity. So why did he keep popping into her mind? Why were there brief moments when she questioned if going to Europe was the right next step? She had to stay focused. Had to stay angry.

The solitude also brought sleep. Arklay now felt like an old friend that crawled into her brain as she slept. The Nemesis was a new addition to her nightmares. Each dream was different. Sometimes she would relive things that had already happened. Other times, her subconscious would stitch her traumas together in a new pattern.

On the third night, she dreamt that she was back in the desert. She was on the ground with Carlos next to her. The officer kept insisting that Carlos was infected. They wouldn’t believe her when she told them no. In the end, they forced her into the van and shot him as he lay defenseless and alone.

Jill woke covered in sweat. She had been prescribed pills back home that were supposed to help prevent this. These will have to do for now, she thought as she reached for the bottle of painkillers next to the bed. 

The nurse didn’t return until the end of Jill’s quarantine. She gave Jill an examination and determined that no additional medical intervention was necessary. When Jill asked if she could leave, the nurse said, “That has yet to be determined.”

Jill resisted the urge to scream or punch a wall, lest her outburst be misinterpreted as zombie rage. Left alone in her room again, she started to feel nervous about what their intentions were for her. Were they looking to research survivors? To silence them? Was she ever going to leave this place? She went back to her notes, writing down everything she could remember of the building’s halls. She'd need an escape plan if she was forced to make a run for it.  

Other than food deliveries, no one else came to see her until the next day. There was a knock on the door that did not match the standard rattle she had grown accustomed to. When the door opened, in walked Barry Burton, one of the surviving S.T.A.R.S.

“Barry!” Jill couldn’t help but wrap her arms around him. She hadn’t seen him for months. He had resigned from the force and moved with his family shortly after Arklay. They embraced until Jill felt like she couldn’t squeeze him any harder. “What are you doing here?”

Barry closed the door behind him. “I came when I heard about Raccoon City. I was hoping there would be survivors from the team. So far, I’ve only heard about you.”

“Brad and I were the only ones left in town.” She fought to keep the emotion out of her voice. “He didn’t make it. I don’t know about anyone else from the RPD.”

Barry leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “They picked up some kid that is apparently on the force, but I’ve never heard of him before. Mr. Benford is with him now.”

“Who is Mr. Benford?”  

“He hasn’t paid you a visit yet? He’s with the DSO. STRATCOM is putting together a task force to take down Umbrella. They’re recruiting S.T.A.R.S., military, anyone who has an aptitude for putting these fuckers in the ground.” Barry hesitated before continuing. “I’ve actually signed on to join them. I was wondering if you would do the same.”

Jill snorted, not in the mood to hear any recruiting pitches. “After everything Irons and Wesker put us through, I’m not in the market for any new superiors.” She stared at him, trying to get a read on whether he felt he had made the right choice. “You know they’re not your only option, right? You’re more than welcome to come with Chris and me. I’m going to be meeting up with him next.”

He shook his head. “No, no. I can’t keep up with you two. Plus, I need to think about my family. This will be good for all of us. It’s stable. And someone needs to keep all these suits in line.”  

“You’re the perfect man for the job.” She couldn’t fight the smile that spread across her face. Jill had to remind herself to stay serious. “Look, Chris is waiting for me. I’ve got to get out of here.”

“Of course, whatever you need. What can I do to help?”

“Well, first things first, I need them to let me walk out the front door. If you could also get me a car, I can take it from there.”

Barry gave her the thumbs up. “I’ll have to pull some strings, but consider it done. I’ll get right to work on it.”

“Thank you. I really appreciate it.” She stopped him before he could leave. “Wait, have you heard anything about Carlos?”

“Is that the guy you came in with?” Barry frowned when she nodded. “He works for Umbrella. They’re detaining him.”

“They can’t do that!” Jill hadn’t meant to lose control. When she raised her voice, the armed guard stationed outside her door came up to the window to check on them. She took a deep breath and waited until he went back to his post. She kept her voice low when she spoke. “I promise that he is not one of them. You have to help him.”

“Are you sure, Jill? These Umbrella guys…”

Jill wouldn’t hear it. “Not him. I’d put my life on it. I’ve already put my life on it.” She was begging him now. “Please, Barry.”

“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?” He looked apprehensive but surrendered with a sigh. “Okay. I’ll do it for you. But I can’t make any promises.”

After Barry left, she was alone again. Jill gripped her chest. Her heart was racing and it was hard to breathe. She was no stranger to panic attacks. Jill collapsed on the hospital bed and tried to get a hold of herself.

“You’re in a room,” she said it like they taught her in therapy. “You’re on a bed. You’re wearing a tan shirt and green pants.” Jill continued the exercise until she could catch her breath.   

What was wrong with her? Why did she care so much about what happened to some guy she just met? She covered her face in her hands, trying to will away the voice in head telling her it was more than that.

Jill couldn’t slip up. Umbrella had taken everything from her, and they were never going to stop. Her mission with Chris was all she had room for now. She had to stay focused.

Barry returned the next morning with a security badge and car keys. “Here is your ticket and your ride out of here, courtesy of Mr. Benford. He also wanted me to tell you that the task force invitation is always open to you and Chris.”

Jill accepted the gifts with gratitude. “Please pass my thanks on to Mr. Benford, as well. I’ll tell Chris about the job offer, but don’t get your hopes up.”

“Okay, okay,” he said with a laugh. “Also, I have an update on your friend. They transferred him here this morning. He’s meeting with a couple of agents now. If he cooperates, he should be free to go in the next few days.”

She felt a wave of relief wash over her. “That’s great news. I can’t thank you enough. Truly, for everything.”

They hugged one last time. “Anything for you, Jill. Car is outside. Give Chris my love when you see him.” He started for the door and turned back. “Oh, and they’re interviewing your friend on the fifth floor. First conference room on the left. Not that you should be wandering around, but hypothetically speaking, your badge will let you up there.” With a wink, he was off.  

As she packed her few belongings in a small bag, she knew she should be rushing to the car.

As she walked down the hall, flashing her badge and a fuck-you grin to the guard, she knew she should be preparing to fly to Europe as soon as possible.

As she stepped in the elevator and pressed the button for the fifth floor, she knew she was making a mistake.

Her justification was that she owed Carlos a proper goodbye after everything she had put him through. She decided she was going to thank him, wish him the best, and head out. It was tidy. Easy.

Jill had no issue getting onto the floor. She waited in the hall until the meeting room door opened.

Two government agents carrying briefcases walked out. One tipped his hat as they passed. “Ms. Valentine.”

She plastered a fake smile on her face, but let it drop when they were down the hall. “Fuckers,” she said under her breath before approaching the meeting room.

Thanks for your help. Best of luck. She recited the script in her head.

Carlos sat at the conference table reading a stack of papers. One of his knuckles was pressed against his lips in concentration.

Here he was. Safe and in one piece. He was going to be okay. They had really made it.

Jill stood in the entryway and knocked on the open door. “Am I interrupting anything?”

When he looked up, she could see his emotions play across his face. He had gone from focused, to surprised, to relieved. He was on his feet, hurrying toward her. “Jill, thank God. They wouldn’t let me see you.” Carlos rested his hands on her shoulders and looked her up and down. “Are you okay?”

She fought the desire to grab hold of him. “I’m fine. How are you?”

He dropped his hands but stayed close to her. “They threw my ass in a holding cell as soon as we got separated. I’ve been sleeping on the floor for a week. Other than that, I’m just peachy.”

Jill tried to fight off the anger, clenching her fists. “Assholes.”

He ran his fingers through his hair and shrugged. “Changed their tune this morning, though. Got really friendly. Gave me a nice room and said I could go if I told them everything I knew about Umbrella.”

“Do it, please.” Jill couldn’t hide the urgency in her voice. “Whatever you need to tell them so that they let you go.”

“Hey, don’t worry. There’s no way I’m protecting Umbrella after everything they’ve done.” He seemed worried by her concern. “What about you? They treat you alright?”

“Yeah, it wasn’t too bad.” She looked away, not able to meet his gaze. “I’m getting ready to head out, actually.”

“Oh?”

She wasn’t sure if he sounded surprised or disappointed. Jill looked back up at him. Worry lines creasing his forehead peeked out from under his mass of curly hair. 

The words poured out of her. “I have to link up with My S.T.A.R.S. partner. He’s been tracking Umbrella for weeks. I was already supposed to have joined him and then this mess happened.” She paused and pursed her lips. “But I wanted to say goodbye first.”

His voice was quiet. “I appreciate that.”

Say it, she thought. Thanks for your help. Best of luck. Just say it and go.  

He shifted his weight. “So, I guess this is it then.”

Thanks for your help. Best of luck.

Carlos exhaled. He rested one hand behind his head and closed his eyes, as if fighting with himself. “Look, before you go-”

Something came over her. She wasn’t sure what it was, but her hand reached for his cheek. She held him in place and pressed her lips to his.

It had been pure, stupid impulse. She was about to break away and apologize when his arms were around her. He deepened the kiss, parting her lips with his tongue.

She didn’t expect to be so intoxicated by his taste. Or for his chest to feel hard and strong when she was pressed against it. There was so much she didn’t know, but she wanted to find out.

Her fingers were tangled in his hair, gripping the back of his head and keeping him close to her. It felt so good to give in. To lose herself in his arms. To feel exhilarated and at peace at the same time.

Jill was so caught up in the moment that she didn’t hear steps coming down the hall until they were right outside the door. She broke away from Carlos and hid her face, embarrassed as she heard a man speaking behind her.

“Mr. Oliveira, they’re ready for you. Have you had a chance to review the forms?”

Carlos sounded hoarse as he spoke.  “Um, yeah, I was just about to sign them. Can you give me a moment?”  

“Of course. I’ll be right outside if you have any questions.”

Jill was mortified. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She kept her back to Carlos, afraid of what she’d do if she looked at him.

Remember the mission. The mission has to come first.

“Jill?” Carlos rested his hand on her arm.

She kept her head down and turned toward the door. “Thanks for your help. Best of luck.”

Before he could react, she was out of the room and heading for the elevator.

Once outside the building, she hurried to the parking lot. Spamming the key fob, Jill found the sedan Barry left her. It wasn’t until she was in the driver’s seat of the car that she allowed herself to unravel.

“Fuck.” She pressed her fingers to her lips, finding them still swollen from the kiss. “What the fuck were you thinking?”

With shaking hands, she put the key in the ignition. The engine came to life.

That’s the last thing he’s going to remember of her? Her making an absolute, fucking fool of herself?

“Just forget about it. It’s done.”

She wasn’t going to ever see him again? Talk to him again? Touch him again?

“Don’t think about it.” She put the car in drive and left the lot. “Leave it, Jill. It’s done.”  

Chapter Text

Carlos

“Just a few more questions, Mr. Oliveira.” The federal agent flipped through the pages of his notebook.

Carlos didn’t know what else these two could possibly ask him. This was his third day of interviews with the pair.

It was always the same line of questioning. What do you know about Umbrella? Why were you in Raccoon City? What happened during your time there? Carlos was sick of telling the same stories, but whatever got their rocks off. Maybe they just liked the sound of his voice as he recounted every little fucked up detail.

That wasn’t an exaggeration, either. He had told the agents everything leading up to Raccoon City. He started with his childhood, describing how he had been recruited at a young age as a resistance fighter. He went on to explain how he eventually came to join Umbrella. They found him in a South American prison awaiting execution after his platoon had a run-in with government forces. Umbrella made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Either sign on the dotted line or face the firing squad.

Carlos even shared the stories of his fallen U.B.C.S. comrades. Tyrell, Murphy, and Mikhail were all recruited by Umbrella under similar circumstances. They were good men who didn’t have any other option. Carlos didn’t want their legacies tarnished just because Umbrella found them when they were vulnerable. He hoped that he could honor their memories. That they would find justice in death.

While he was forthcoming with most information, he was a closed book when it came to Jill Valentine. He kept the details concerning her vague. At times, he was outright dishonest.

When he agreed to snitch on Umbrella, he made himself a promise. He would disclose whatever he needed in order to secure his freedom, but he wouldn’t jeopardize Jill’s safety.

Carlos remembered the look on her face when they landed the helicopter in the desert. She was terrified that the government would find out she had been infected. Nothing in Raccoon City seemed to faze her, but these guys made her nervous. He had no interest in finding out what they were capable of.  

Now, watching the agents sweat over their notes, Carlos had a feeling that his account of Raccoon City wasn’t consistent with the rest of their investigation.

“You mentioned there was a monster in the city.” The agent didn’t look up from his notebook. “You said Mr. Zinoviev had called it ‘the Nemesis’, correct?”

“Yes,” Carlos said.

“And you have no idea what its orders were? Why it was in the city?”

Carlos knew exactly why that monster kept popping up. It was programmed to hunt Jill. But there was no way in hell he was telling them that.

He shrugged. “No clue.”

The agent tapped the paper with his pen. “And yet you had several encounters with it. Both downtown and in the Umbrella facility underneath Spencer Memorial Hospital?”

Carlos held his ground. “Yep.”                                       

The agent took off his glasses, rubbing his temples. “Why were you in the hospital, again?”

Check your fucking notebook, Carlos thought. “That’s where Nathaniel Bard was waiting for us. Tyrell and I had orders to escort him out of the city.”

“Yes, and Mr. Bard was allegedly in possession of the vaccine. But you said you never found any traces of it?”

Another lie Carlos had told. In truth, he found one dose of the vaccine left in the hospital. He used it to cure Jill after she was infected.

Carlos wore a straight face. “Right. Bard was dead. Vaccine was gone.”

“We have a theory we want to run past you.” The other agent leaned across the table. “Is it possible that ‘the Nemesis’ could have killed Mr. Bard and taken the vaccine? Is that something that would have been within its cognitive ability?”

Carlos tried his best to appear stoic. On the inside, he was ecstatic. The theory was completely wrong, but it was perfect. It filled in the holes of his story without bringing any additional attention to Jill.

“Now that you mention it,” Carlos said, pretending to be deep in thought, “that adds up. I’m almost positive that’s what happened.”

The agents seemed satisfied with that response. They both scribbled in their notebooks with a newfound enthusiasm.

“One more question,” one of the agents said. “Can you remind us why Ms. Valentine accompanied you to the hospital?”

Carlos stiffened. She didn’t accompany him at all. She was unresponsive when he found her at the clocktower. He had carried her to the hospital in hopes of saving her.

He kept his voice even. “She came with Tyrell and I to find Dr. Bard. She wanted to make sure the vaccine ended up in the right hands.”

“She didn’t trust you because you work for Umbrella?”

Carlos forgot to play nice. His tone was severe. “Past tense.”

“Yes, well, ‘worked’ for Umbrella.” The agent fumbled over his words. “We’re just trying to understand why the change of heart. She didn’t trust you with the vaccine, but she’s the one who requested we pardon you.”

This was the first he was hearing that Jill had something to do with his release. He maintained his composure. Don’t let them see you crack, he told himself. He needed to sound casual. Needed to keep his story straight.  

“A lot happened in a short amount of time,” Carlos said. “Was Jill worried about Tyrell and I in the beginning? Sure. She had the same assumption you did. If we worked for Umbrella, we had to be the bad guys. But she figured out that, at the end of the day, we just wanted to help people.”

“And you have, Mr. Oliveira. The information you provided is going to do a lot of good. We won’t stop until Umbrella pays for what they’ve done.” The agents closed their books and packed their briefcases. “Thank you for your cooperation. It will take us a couple more days to finalize your travel arrangements. We’ll try to get you out of here as soon as possible.”

Carlos retired to his private room in the medical center. It was a nice change to the cell they stuck him in at the other facility. At least here he could sleep in a proper bed and shower without being supervised. The food was better too. But not by much.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his face in his hands. He had no idea that Jill was responsible for his pardon. When he and Jill got separated, Carlos was arrested and told that he’d be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. After his quarantine period ended, the feds showed up offering him a deal. Carlos assumed it was their plan all along. Tear him down so that he was willing to cooperate.

It never crossed his mind that Jill stuck her neck out to help him. She hadn’t mentioned it when she visited him.

Of course, she’d never to admit to it, he thought with a smile. It wasn’t her style.   

Now he was thinking about her again. She was on his mind the entire time he was under arrest. He knew she could handle herself, but it didn’t stop him from being worried. He had no way of knowing if she was safe.  

But then, after their reunion, she dominated his thoughts for other reasons. He had been so focused on surviving that he hadn’t considered what would happen to them after this was all over. It made sense that they would go their separate ways. But that didn’t make it feel any less strange. They had become true partners in such a short time. He not only trusted her with his life, but he was also willing to sacrifice himself to protect her.

He couldn’t dwell on it. It was in the past now. He had to accept it and move on. But her kissing him didn’t make things any easier.

Carlos had been running on pure instinct the entire time he was in Raccoon City. He never stopped long enough to ask himself what motivated him. He never wondered why he was so determined to put his life on the line for Jill.

He knew the answer as soon as they kissed. Not that it did him a lot of good now.

Carlos was still feeling sorry for himself when there was a knock on his door.

“Come in,” he said, straightening up.

“Mr. Oliveira.” One of the armed guards poked his head into the room. “Mr. Benford has asked for you. I need to take you downstairs right away.”

Carlos had no idea who Mr. Benford was or what he wanted with him. The guard wasn’t much help, answering any follow-up question with ‘we need to go’. Carlos knew he didn’t have much of a choice with a loaded gun between them. He followed the guard down the hall and into the elevator.

When they stepped into the first floor lobby, Carlos froze. It was as if all the blood had drained from his body. He hadn’t expected to see anyone he recognized standing next to the reception desk.

Especially not Jill Valentine.

What was she doing here? When he saw her a few days ago she told him that she was leaving to join her S.T.A.R.S. partner.

What if they called her back for more questioning? He had been so careful during his interviews. The last thing he wanted was to drag her back into all this. After all, It had been his idea to land the helicopter at the checkpoint. He was the one that told her to ‘play nice’ after she expressed her concern. Carlos would never be able to forgive himself if something happened to her because of him.

Jill held up a badge for the guard. “Mr. Benford sent me. I can take it from here.” She turned her attention to Carlos. “There’s a car outside waiting for you. Come with me.”

Carlos wasn’t surprised to see her taking charge. It was almost funny how the guard shrank back in her presence. What he didn’t understand was why Jill and Benford were working together.

He kept his questions to himself until they were out of the building. He didn’t see any car waiting outside like she had said. Carlos matched Jill’s pace as she walked to the parking lot.

“What’s the deal with this Benford guy?” Carlos asked. “Why is he asking for me?”

“What? You actually believed that?” She laughed. “We’re not meeting him. He doesn’t even know I’m still in town. I just dropped his name at the front desk because it got me what I wanted.” She stopped at a sedan and opened the driver’s side door. “Get in.”

“And what did you want exactly?” Carlos didn’t hesitate as he climbed into the passenger seat. He didn’t know where they were going, but anything was better than the military base.

“To break you out so we could get a drink.” Jill started the car and flashed him a playful smile. “Unless you have any objections?”

Carlos couldn’t stop his lips from turning up into a stupid grin. “Now that you mention it, I could really use a drink.”

“Good. Because I’ve been going to this bar alone the last couple of nights.” Jill pulled out of the parking lot. “And the regulars are starting to get chatty.”

He rolled down the window, taking full advantage of the fresh air. “You’ve vetted this place, then? It’s up to your standards?”

Jill was still smiling as she kept her eyes on the road. She was beautiful.

“Let’s see,” she said. “They have beer. So, five stars.”

The bar was on the edge of the nearby town. Jill was right. They did have beer. There were also creepy men who couldn’t hide their disappointment when they saw Jill walk in with Carlos.  

They grabbed a table in a quiet corner of the bar. The privacy allowed them to speak freely. With pint glasses in hand, they toasted to their survival. The nightmare was finally over.

Carlos watched Jill take a long drink of her beer. He still didn’t understand why she popped back up after saying goodbye. “I thought you had to meet your partner?”

“I’m flying out tomorrow, actually.” She set her glass on the table. “What about you? Any word on when they’re letting you out?”

“Should be soon. They offered me quite the package. Apparently, Carlos Oliveira died in Raccoon City. I’m getting a whole new identity. Papers. Passport. A shit ton of money. All I have to do is get on a plane and promise to never look back.” He shook his head with a laugh. “They even offered me plastic surgery. Can you believe that?”

Jill frowned. “Seems a bit excessive, don’t you think? It’s not like you’re at the top of Umbrella’s priority list. I’m sure ‘dying’ is good enough.”

He never actually considered accepting the facial reconstruction, but he’d never miss an opportunity to get a rise out of Jill Valentine.

“You don’t think it would be a good look for me?” He raised his glass to his lips. “I guess you can’t improve perfection.”

She rolled her eyes. That sweet smile crept back. “I like your face exactly how it is. And your name.”

He leaned forward and spoke in a low voice. “You can keep calling me ‘Carlos’. It will be our secret.”

She scoffed in that way she always did when he flirted with her. She took a sip of her drink, as if trying to cover the blush painting her cheeks. It was so easy to get lost in her. He almost forgot what they were talking about.

“How about you?” he asked. “Are you taking any precautions? You’re the one Umbrella is actually looking for.”

“I’m not hiding. They want me, then they can come get me.”

Her eyes sparked with passion. There was a fierceness to her, and she’d never apologize for it. Carlos didn’t know why, but it filled him with a sense of pride.  

“If anyone's bringing them down,” he said, “it’s going be you.”

Jill’s face softened. She glanced down at her hands clasped around her pint glass. Her fingers strummed against the base. She didn’t look at him as she spoke. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I told Chris, my partner, about you. He agreed that with your skillset and background, you’d be a great asset to the team.”

Carlos leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. A job offer? He wasn’t expecting that. He wanted to see Umbrella ruined as much as the next guy, but was he prepared to chase them to the end of the Earth?

He was still mulling it over when her eyes lifted to meet his. She swallowed before she spoke. “If you wanted to come with me, I mean.”

That was another conversation entirely. Of course, he wanted to go with her. It wasn’t even a question in his mind.

Carlos just stared at her, at a loss for words. It felt strange. Usually, he couldn’t keep his mouth shut.  

She shifted in the silence. “I didn’t mean to put you on the spot like that. I know we just met. I just thought…. I don’t know what I thought. Never mind.”

Carlos watched the change in her demeanor as she raised her guard. She was tough. He liked that about her. But he wanted to talk to her, not her hard exterior. Even if that meant he had to admit something sappy and embarrassing to get through to her.

“Hold on a minute,” he said. “I’ll be honest. If I joined your team, I would just be doing it for you. Yeah, we haven’t known each other for very long. But I’m not going to pretend that I don’t want to go with you. That being said, I can’t help you take down Umbrella. You’re a hunter. Relentless. Unstoppable. And that’s just not me.”

Jill softened. Her mouth turned up into a little smile. “No, you save people. Like you saved me.”

“Maybe that’s my part in all this. Someone’s got to help the little guy. And you’ll be too busy smashing heads to do it yourself.” He knew this was for the best, but he hated the idea of not seeing her again. “I want you to know that if things were different, I’d be on that plane with you tomorrow.”

She exhaled as if she had been holding her breath. The look on her face was the same as when she kissed him. Like there was something she was fighting not to say.

“I have something for you.” Jill broke their eye contact to reach into her pocket. She slid a folded piece of paper across the table. “It’s my email. If you want to keep in touch. If not, I understand.”

Carlos took the paper, looking down at the email address scrawled across it. He knew they had to go their separate ways. The promise of future communication should have made it easier to say goodbye. But the realization that she wanted him to go with her, that she wanted to keep in touch, tore him up inside.

He bit the inside of his cheek, tapping the paper against the tabletop. He had felt connected to her since they met. He had even managed to secure her trust. He never imagined that she’d actually want him. But here they were.

After she kissed him, he had warmed his bed with thoughts of her. He knew he’d always regret it if he didn’t make a move.  

Carlos glanced back up at her. “Do you want to get out of here?”

Jill didn’t say anything. She just nodded and got up to close their tab at the bar. He tucked the email address in his pocket before meeting her at the door.

It was dark when they stepped outside. Jill was a few steps ahead of him, hurrying back to the car. He planned to play it casual. Maybe ask her if they should go back to her hotel. But it was hard to keep his cool. Jill Valentine had saved him. Had come back for him. Had asked her to join him.

And now she was within his grasp.

Before she could get in the car, he rested his hand on her hip and spun her to face him. He leaned forward, capturing her lips with his. At first, she melted into him. Her hands came to his hair, her back pressed against the car. But, as he moved to deepen the kiss, she broke away.

Carlos stood there for a moment, dazed. Jill turned back to the car and opened her door. Had he totally misread the situation? She had been vulnerable with him just a few moments ago. Now she seemed stiff and cold.

“Let’s go,” she said before getting into the driver’s seat.

Carlos climbed into the car. Jill didn’t say anything as she drove out of town. Once he got past his initial mortification, he started to apologize for kissing her. But it didn’t seem like she was listening. Before he could even finish his sentence, she interrupted him.

“Glovebox,” she said without taking her eyes off the road.

He sighed, popping open the glovebox. He was pleasantly surprised with what he found inside. Turned out he had read the situation correctly, after all.

“Someone came prepared,” he said, pulling out the box of condoms.

“I know what I want.” There was a no-nonsense tone to her voice. Once they were out of town, she pulled off on the side of the empty desert road leading back to the military base. “Backseat.”  

She really did like to call the shots, he thought. But he wasn’t going to argue. “Yes, ma’am.”  

Before Carlos could get situated in the backseat, Jill’s hands were already on him. She was rushing to unzip and pull off his pants.

He was all for eagerness, but this was different. She felt far away. Even the choice of the car instead of a room lacked intimacy. He didn’t know why, but she was creating distance between them.

Carlos wasn’t looking to get off. He could do that with anyone.

He wanted her. He wanted to capture that spark that he had only ever felt with her.

“Hey, look at me.” His voice was soft. His hand rested on hers, stopping her from moving forward. He didn’t speak again until she met his gaze. “We don’t have to do this. I’m serious.”

She stiffened. “But I want to.”

Carlos pulled her onto his lap. He moved her arms so that they were wrapped around his neck.

Then, he stilled. He wanted her to make the next move, no matter what that meant.  

“Show me,” he said.

Jill searched his face. With time, her serious expression melted away. She took a deep breath. Carlos felt her tense muscles soften.

There she was. Underneath all that strength and ferocity was the woman that trusted him. The woman that was willing to put her life on the line to have his back. The woman his dumb ass went and fell in love with.

He watched her come back to him. She leaned forward. He could feel a smile on her lips as she kissed him.

Carlos started slow, wanting to burn every moment of this into his memory. He felt the flex of each muscle as his hands crept under her shirt and up her back. He listened to the way her breath hitched when he hardened underneath her. She moved her hips, creating friction between them. The sensation elicited an involuntary groan from his throat. She seemed to like the sound. She responded by intertwining her tongue with his.

Carlos held her steady as her hands explored him. Her fingers started at his collarbones and traced down his chest. When she reached his waist, she broke away long enough to pull his shirt over his head. Next, she sat back and took off her own top.

Independent as ever, he thought while biting his lip. She unclasped her bra, slowly peeling it away. He resisted the urge to kiss her, preferring to sit back and watch. He wanted to remember every curve of her body. His eyes hadn’t yet adjusted to the darkness, but his hands helped him complete the picture in his mind. She guided his hands along her stomach and to her breasts. He ran his thumbs across her nipples, liking the way she trembled at his touch.   

“You’re gorgeous,” he said, in awe of her.

“You’re not too bad yourself.” She leaned forward, her lips brushing against his ear. “Can I see the rest of you?”

He fought to maintain his composure. “Yes, please.”

This time, he didn’t stop her when she slid off him and unfastened his pants. He helped her to take them off along with his boxers. He could now see her clearly in the dark. He was quite satisfied with the way her eyebrows perked up at the sight of him.  

“Like what you see?” Carlos said with a smug smile.

She laughed, appearing a bit embarrassed. “I’m not answering that.”

He had to tease her. He couldn’t help it.

Carlos leaned over to kiss her. He whispered against her lips, “How long are you going to pretend you’re not crazy about me?”

She rolled her eyes, turning her attention to taking off her bottoms. “Are you always this talkative before sex?”

“Guess you’ll have to find out.”

He knew she understood the implication by the way she looked up at him. It didn’t matter if they took different planes to different parts of the world. There was no way he was letting her go. And he didn’t care if she knew it.

She tried to cover her smile by turning and reaching for the box on the passenger seat. She removed a condom from one of the wrappers and proceeded to cover him with the latex. He tensed, enjoying the feeling of her hands on him. He tucked her hair behind her ear so that he could watch her face as she touched him.

Once she was satisfied, she climbed back on top of him. Her hands were sticky from the lubricated condom. He felt the substance on his hips when she held him for balance.

He gripped the base of his erection, guiding it to her entrance. His other hand reached for the back of her head, pulling her to kiss him again. Her mouth gasped against his as she lowered herself onto him.

Carlos kept his eyes open, observing the way her face twisted when he filled her. Not that he had much more composure than she did. Her named spilled from his lips as she rode the length of him. He found her looking back at him, also watching. The thought of her getting off to his reactions only turned him on more.

He found the more vocal he was, the more willing she was to let go. He didn’t hold back. He groaned against her lips. He said her name. He told her how good she felt. Maybe it was selfish, but he couldn’t get enough of the way she moaned to match him. He’d do whatever she wanted if it meant he could keep hearing that sweet sound.

She picked up the pace, digging her fingernails into his thighs. She started to unravel, her movements fast and uncoordinated. She spoke in a breathy voice. Swearing. Asking him not to stop. Telling him she was going to come.

It took all his control to hold out for her. She felt so good around him. And the way she was losing herself was almost too sexy for him to bear. At some point, he had to kiss her just to get her to stop talking.  

He didn’t let himself give in until she collapsed on top of him. She shuddered as she orgasmed. He thrusted his hips to meet her, chasing his own climax. She tightened around him as he came. His hands moved to her face, deepening the kiss as they both came down from their highs.

Jill crawled off of him. Carlos caught his breath, taking off the condom and tying it. She grabbed their clothes thrown about the car.

She gave him the side-eye while she got dressed. “You’re awfully quiet. No more smartass comments?”

“What do you want me to say?” He pulled his shirt over his head with a grin. “You’ve left me speechless.”

“There it is.” She laughed.

They drove back to the medical research center. Carlos could sense Jill’s spirits dropping as they approached the building. He tried to keep the mood light, but nothing he said made her crack a smile. By the time they parked, she wouldn’t even look at him. Her grip tightened around the steering wheel.

They both knew it was time to say goodbye.

“Hey,” he said after she turned off the car.

She didn’t respond, keeping her eyes forward.

Still tough as nails, he thought.

“There was something I wanted to tell you when we were in the helicopter.” He looked down at his hands. He fidgeted with the security badge she gave him so that he could get back into the building. “Back at the hospital when you were infected…. You didn’t wake up right after I gave you the vaccine. I sat with you for hours, praying that it would work. That whole time, I kept thinking about how I couldn’t lose you. Which is ridiculous, because it’s not like you’re even mine to lose. But it was still all I could think about.”

He felt her hand on his cheek. He turned to face her. She kissed him gently. Carlos placed his hand on top of hers, not wanting to let her go.

She rested her forehead against his. “You’ll email me?”

“As soon as I can. I promise.”

Jill kissed him one more time before pulling away. “You should go.”

He could tell this was difficult for her. He didn’t want to make it any harder by prolonging the inevitable. So, he smiled and told her he’d see her later.

Carlos got out of the car, waving as she drove away. “Go get ‘em, Supercop.”