Rookie Life

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“God Chris, of course I’ll be alright. No... I know it’s all new... I can handle it, seriously! Don’t make me come all the way out there and kick your ass. Yeah, yeah... love you too old man.” Claire hung up the phone, still grinning to herself. “So over protective.” She chuckled, standing in front of the mirror in the tiny apartment she had rented, looking at her reflection of her first time wearing the R.P.D uniform. “I got this.” She told herself, exhaling the breath she had unknowingly been holding. It wasn’t her first day on the force that had her nervous... it was what her big brother, STARS hero, self proclaimed ladies man Chris Redfield was going to do once she set foot in the precinct. Maybe he wouldn’t notice... maybe STARS never even paid attention to lowly grunts with big ideas. Claire had kept her secret for this long throughout all her training, what was a few more weeks?

Wesker roared in anger, swatting the syringe away as quickly as he could, but it was already too late. He seemed frozen for a moment, as though expecting something to happen right away. When it didn’t... he assumed Rebecca wasn’t as bright as he thought. His first mistake.

“I’m sorry Brad, I do what I have to.” Jill replied, returning her gaze to the autopsy report she had been looking at. “This one was the first to be found in the city, the rest were in the forest... I wonder if that’s significant?” She murmured, though wasn’t expecting an answer. To keep the people she cared about sage, she needed to keep them at a distance.

Rebecca ran, dodging the nursing staff as she tried to find her way out of the hospital. She'd have to figure out how to fix this later. Right now she needed to find Billy without Wesker catching her.

Brad sighed. "Listen, the Captain wanted me to tell you that Rebecca is in the hospital. Her soldier boyfriend tried to kill her. He wants you to go sit with her." He shook his head. "Just forget about the reports. They've been getting Chris and Forest in trouble."

Rebecca wouldn’t have to worry too much, Wesker knew where she would be heading, and saw no reason to rush. Sweet Rebecca, his lovable pawn.

“What!!” Jill was instantly on her feet. “Is she okay? Damn... I knew that kid was getting herself into something!” Sje was muttering to herself now, blaming Chris for one thing or another as she searched her desk for her car keys.

Rebecca fell to her knees outside Jill's apartment. She had a few broken ribs and they were definitely protesting the hard run. Blood was beginning to drip from her nose as she dropped her head. 
She should have listened to Wesker and left things alone. Now look at what she'd done. Billy was probably being beaten to death at the very least. She wasn't sure if he truly deserved it or not.

In a fortunate turn of events, Jill had come home to change before going in search of Rebecca. She was parking her car just as the younger woman collapsed to her knees. “Rebecca...” Jill rushed to her side, extremely worried by her current state. “I thought you were in the hospital?” She breathed, though was already ushering the small woman to the door of the building.

Rebecca could barely speak. She was sobbing as she told Jill what happened with Billy. She told her about him burning her car. However, she kept the rest of the story to herself. She still didn't know who she could trust.

Jill had settled Rebecca on the edge her bed where it sat in the middle of her tiny studio apartment. Moving out of her shared home with Chris had left her with few options, given how little money she had. Right then she was in the kitchen, brewing them each a strong coffee. “That’s doesn’t sound like Billy.” She confessed thoughtfully. “Maybe he thought you were someone else? God knows the ice Queen has him doing some questionable shit.”

Rebecca nodded. "He calls her dragon queen." She admitted. "I don't remember anything. I was meeting Barry to get some information on a case and then someone was smashing the window of my car and dragging me out. I tried to fight back. I was scratching and...I bit him. I bit the guy on the wrist. Maybe if we saw Billy and checked for bite marks we'd know. Right?" Rebecca's nose was bright red. She'd been unable to stop herself from crying. She loved Billy. Jill was the only one she'd told this to when she'd asked if she should begin a relationship with him and then again when she had asked him to move in.

It all sounded too perfect to Jill. She’d seen the way he looked at Rebecca, he would never hurt her... but then, she had thought Chris would never hurt her. “As always, you’re right.” Jill finally assured the younger woman. “It just doesn’t add up, if he wanted you dead, there are a million ways he could make it look like an accident, why get all up and personal, and messy, unless it was NEEDED for him to be seen doing it?” Jill was of course upset Rebecca had been hurt, but at the same time was glad of something to keep her mind away from her own worries. “Come on, I have something you can wear when we go question Billy, I don’t think the ass out of the back of your gown look is all that commanding.” She teased.

Krauser stood outside the cells, his arms crossed over his chest. "You can't go in there." He grunted. "You two are way below your pay grade here, girls. Go back to your little Stars office and make yourselves pretty for the boys. Huh?"
Rebecca shook her head, trying to peek around this large man's powerful shoulders to see her now former boyfriend.

Jill smiled, accustomed to being treated this way in a mainly male profession. “I know you. You’re Krauser, right? I see you staring after Juliana like a lovesick little boy.” She mocked. “So pathetic that she has you on guard duty, and you have the fucking balls to say I’M below my pay grade?” If she kissed him off enough, she hoped Rebecca would get her chance to get her proof from Billy.

Krauser shook his head. "That's not going to work. I'm not a meat head like..."
"Like who?" Chris asked, grinning as he leaned on the doorframe. "Did I ever tell you I used to be one of these guys, Jill? My superiors called them boot lickers." He came to stand beside her. "But you couldn't even call this waste of space that." He knew what she was doing.

Rebecca had found a tiny spot not far from his ankle. She could see a shadow in the corner but couldn't quite make it out. "Billy?" She whispered.

Jill’s jaw was tight, forcing herself to bite her tongue against telling Chris to get lost. “Used to be?” She asked with a snort, though didn’t look up at him. She knew Chris didn’t get just how much he had hurt her. One phone call after six months wasn’t nearly enough to smooth over those cracks.

Rebecca would hear the sound of someone shifting in the shadows, a quiet groan following. “Officer Chambers.” He managed to muse, though the smile he cracked made his whole, bruised, face hurt.

Chris knew Jill would be this way. He knew he deserved it. But right now they needed him. Even if she didn't think so. 
"That's a pot calling the kettle black, don't you think?" Krauser growled. It had been very clear the last six weeks how he felt about Chris. 
Chris stepped forward and gave the other man a shove. "Dont think I don't know what's going on around here." He snarled. "You guys are shady as shit. You're not going to let a man die for what he didn't do. And you can take your bitch and stick her up your ass!" That was when Krauser threw his punch. The two men would be tussling for a while. Rebecca would have her time with Billy. 

As soon as the two men moved Rebecca was reaching through the cell, her fingers trying to touch her lover. "Billy..." She wanted to be angry with him but the hoarse tone of his voice took that anger away. "I need you..." It wasn't what she'd meant to say but it was what came out.

If possible, Jill was even angrier with Chris now. She hated him coming wading in like she needed protecting, like she didn’t have every intention of kicking Krauser’s ass herself. She didn’t even far dwell on what him saying about Juliana meant. “Goddamn meat heads, both of you!”

Billy laughed quietly, but didn’t each back out. “Listen, I heard them talking... something about UBSC... you can’t be here when they arrive, you got that? I can’t have them disappearing you, little girl.”

Chris was edging the other man toward the door. When he got him there he slammed his head into the frame. Krauser spit blood in his face. Angry at this, he threw an elbow and the two of them tumbled into the hall. There was something in his brain telling him to continue. It wasn't allowing him to stop. The red haze had returned. Chris Redfield was gone again...
Leon Kennedy had been called in for a late shift and he had picked the unfortunate moment to walk around the corner. 

"Billy, the Captain said you tried to kill me. That you burned my car because you thought I had evidence of something..." Rebecca's voice cracked as she tried to keep from crying. This was her fault. Her attempt do right had made things so much worse.

“Son of a...” Jill was chasing after them, dodging the blood spray and fists as she tried to end their brawl. “Redfield! No one asked you to get involved in this!” She finally roared.

Billy was quiet for a brief moment, ticking over the weight of what he knew he had to do, if he wished to keep her safe. “I work for Juliana. I follow her orders, and her orders were to get close to you... find out what you knew... then clean up.”

Chris finally turned his head, taking a long time to look at Jill. "Jill Valentine..." He whispered as if he were fighting within himself to remember her name. "I...I'm sorry."
He turned fully to her and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. 
Leon simply laid where he was on the floor trying to under what was going on. 

Rebecca's fingers slowly folded in and she withdrew her hand from the cell. She squeezed her eyes closed and tried to breathe through the pain in her chest. 
She was humiliated by the tears sliding down her cheeks. Wesker was right about her. 
Quietly she took off the dog tags he'd given her and slid them into cell. She sat with back to the bars for several long moments, trying to force herself to stand and walk out bravely. "I'm sorry." She choked out. "But...I love you." That said she managed to walk into the next room, slamming the door behind her. Once there, she slid to the floor and disolved into deep heartbroken sobs that even a prisoner would be hard pressed to ignore.

Jill hated the fact that she allowed the embrace to linger, that she breathed him in and remembered all the mornings she had woken upon beside him. She remembered all his dumb jokes, all the ways he had surprised her, and then... she remembered how easily he had walked away from it all, straight into the arms of the kind of woman she could never be. Slowly she pushed her hands against his chest and forced herself out of his arms.

Of course Billy heard the sobs, and they shredded at his insides. But this was easier. Better her hate him and nurse a broken heart, than find herself with a target on her back. He knew what was going to happen to him, he had known it even if Krauser hadn’t told him ever tiny detail. That isn’t a future he wanted for Rebecca.

"Jill...I said I was sorry. What else do you want me to do? I'll do anything. Do you want me to announce my stupidity for the world to know? I'll do it. Please..." His hands were shaking as he reached for her but didn't quite touch her. "I thought you found someone better. I was trying to make you jealous but you never even noticed. I'm the stupid one, Jill. Please..."

Rebecca finally stood and managed to walk out into the hall. Her legs were shaking and her arms were wrapped tightly around herself. She didn't want to go home but she couldn't stay here.

“You say sorry like it’s nothing, like I’m supposed to just suck it up and get over what happened!” Jill hissed, remembering how Chris had likely been no more than several feet away when Wesker had first assaulted her. “So concerned with what you wanted me to see, that you didn’t see what was right in front of you!” She added.

“Becky?” Claire’s soft voice floated through the air, worried by the condition her friend seemed to be in. “Oh god... what happened?” She breathed, crossing the distance and gathering the other woman into her arms.

"What am I supposed to see?" Chris asked. "You won't talk to me. You avoid me every time I'm in the same room. You won't let me in. Stop trying to be the hero and let me help you." Once again he took hold of her hands and yanked her against him. "Let me in, Valentine."

Rebecca clung to the other woman as she sobbed. It was hard to understand her as she told her about Billy. It was possible all the other woman really heard was her former lover's name.

“Of course I’m avoiding you! You move that bitch into OUR home, and expect me to just carry on, business as usual?!” Jill hissed. “How long before you even realised I was gone, Chris? How long?!” She demanded, fighting back angry tears as she again Jerked her hands free. If Claire hadn’t already told Leon Chris and Jill were involved before, there was no secret of it now. Like Billy, Jill had to keep the one she loved at arms length. Allow him back in, and that was the perfect weapon Wesker could use against her. Chris was begging her to stop being the hero... if only he knew the price she paid for him.

Claire had somehow bundled Rebecca into her car and driven the young woman back to her own apartment. Right then it was somewhat of a mess, the effect of Leon basically living there with her now too, even before the events of the previous night. The apartment was even smaller than Jill’s, if that was even possible. She helped Rebecca indoors and simply held her. “Want me to kick his ass? I’m pretty good at that, you know.”

"Juliana did something to me, Jill. I didn't feel like myself. Please..." Chris felt like he was just repeating the same things over and over again. He was never getting his Jill back. He stood blinking at her and shook his head. "But ok. I get it. It's over. I'm sorry. I'll back off..." He held up his hands and turned back to Krauser, grabbing him by the back of his collar and dragging him back into the jail cell. 
The large soldier was passed out against the wall when he turned his attention to Billy. "I want to know what the hell is going on around here." He demanded. "Your boss is up to some shady shit and you two are in on it. Start talking, Cohen." 

Rebecca shook her head. She could barely even breathe from all the sobbing. She laid down on the couch and pulled her knees up to her chest. "He...tried to kill me...He used me...so did...Wesker..." She finally managed.

Billy was remaining tight lipped. He stared back at Chris, noting the bruised eye that was forming, almost with a busted lip. “You’re the one giving it to her every chance, you tell me what she’s up to.” He sneered, in no mood to help anyone right then.
Jill knelt down beside Leon, checking he was okay. She wanted to just walk out that building and never return. Not accepting Chris back into her life had been the hardest thing she had ever done. But right then she needed a clear head, and Chris Redfield was not the way to do that. “Hey rookie, you still with me?”

“Wesker? Captain Wesker?” Claire asked as she gently smoothed down Rebecca’s hair. “Becky... did the captain... hurt you?”

Chris shook his head. "You're the one who tried to murder one of my teammates. This isn't how this conversation is going to go." He growled. "I have a key to your cage, asshole. Don't make me use it." 
Leon groaned as he lifted his eyes up to Jill and rubbed his head. "I can't believe work is this dangerous." He muttered. "I just wanted to be a cop." He was sporting a swelling ear. He had no idea he was yelling at her. 

Rebecca threw her arms around Claire and hugged the other young woman tightly. She didn't explain what she'd meant or anything more about Wesker. For a while she simply seemed to shut down. She'd called in to work and asked Claire if she could stay. Then she'd returned to laying on her couch, wrapped in a blanket and staring at nothing at all.

“Go ahead, just means you beat the other guys to it.” Billy snorted, quite aware it was UBCS coming for him.
Jill smiled sadly and patted his hand. “With hair like that?” She teased gently, getting to her feet and offering a hand down to Leon once she was sure he had no serious injury.

Claire had been trying to call Leon, to tell him what was going on. Of course, she had gotten nothing but his voice mail. “Hey, um... I have something going on, can you cover for me until I can get back?” The message would go unheard, and Claire would get chewed out for her disappearance the following day.

Chris knelt down, making sure his back was to the door and the surveillance cameras. "All you have to do is tell me what's going on and I'll get you out of here. I know you would never have tried to hurt Becky." He added softly.
Leon took her hand and got to his feet with a soft laugh. "You're right. I should become a special agent. I totally fit the part."

Rebecca found herself unable to eat. Instead she cleaned Claire's living room and kitchen. She scrubbbed the tile until her knuckles bleed and then she fell asleep on the floor.

Billy have a single shake of his head. “You don’t know how far this goes.” He warned simply. “Or...” His steel coloured eyes narrowed slightly. “You’re the one banging the Queen, maybe you DO know.”
“Yeah... useless and only there for show.” Jill replied with a smirk. She liked Leon, he was a good kid and she really wished him and Claire would get over the ‘friend’ hurdle.

Claire had waited until sunrise, ensuring Rebecca had enough food for the day, then headed to work to tell Leon everything. It bothered her that he hadn’t returned her calls, but he had had chance to pass her message on, hadn’t he?

"I'm not going to let those monsters kill you. You're not like them." Chris said firmly. "You have a chance with her. It's not too late." Deciding he didn't need Billy to talk he slid the key under the bars. "Rebecca will die alone. She'll need a protector." He said simply. "She's so...breakable." He got to his feet and left, ignoring Jill and Leon as he passed them in the hall.

Leon sat in the lobby nursing a nasty bruise on his stomach. He was forced to this assignment since he'd thrown up on his partner during morning briefing. He hated desk duty.