The kiss sweetest

And touch so warm

One smile kind

In this world so cold and strong

We're so close to the flame

Burning brightly

It won't fade away

Leave us lonely

The arms safest

And words so good

The faith deepest, yeah

In this world so cold and cruel

*HIM - Close To The Flame*

It was almost two in the morning on January 18th at the Emma Emmerich Memorial Hospital, and Jill Redfield lay in her bed, holding little Kyle Redfield as he slept peacefully in her arms.

Chris was sleeping in a chair beside her bed. She had told him to go home and come back later, but he refused, saying that he wanted to stay. She looked down as Kyle curled his tiny fingers around her own and smiled.

"I must be the luckiest woman alive," She told him.

It had been almost six months since the incident with Carlos and Brett. Carlos was found guilty of conspiracy, possession of a dangerous weapon and attempted murder, and was sentenced to eighteen years imprisonment. Brett was found guilty of attempted murder, ABH

and possession of a class A drug (the police found it when they raided his house), and was sentenced to thirty years imprisonment. Rebecca was alive and well, though still not fully recovered, and was all set to become Rebecca Coen after Billy proposed to her on

Christmas Day.

Leon and Claire had officially adopted Sherry, and now Claire was expecting a little one of her own, though Jill was the only other person that knew this besides Claire. And things couldn't be any better between Chris and Jill.

"You feeling ok? I mean, it doesn't still hurt does it?" Jill turned her head towards the door.

"Oh, Claire, I didn't see you come in. And no, it doesn't," She replied. Claire pulled a chair up beside her sister-in-law's bed and sat on it.

"Oh, God," She said. "I'm only about a month pregnant, if that, and I'm getting scared." Jill laughed.

"It's ok, I was like that too. Do you want to hold him?" "What? Oh, erm... yeah, but what if I drop him, I mean, I'm really-"

"Claire, you won't drop him, come on," Jill told her, still laughing. Claire smiled weakly as Jill placed Kyle in her arms.

"Oh, he's adorable!" She whispered, being careful not to disturb the two sleeping boys. Jill smiled when she saw the expression on Claire's face.

"I think you'll make a great mother," She told her. Claire smiled.

"Do you really think so?" Jill nodded. "Hey, I couldn't keep him,

could I?" Jill laughed again.

"He really looks like Chris, doesn't he?" She asked. Claire nodded.

"He has your eyes though. Hey, you couldn't tell me what it's like, I mean, giving birth, could you, does it hurt?"

"Of course it bloody hurts! But you forget all about it when you see the baby, and, well afterwards you get all emotional and cry over nothing, I cried because I put my slippers on the wrong feet," Jill said, starting to cry. She pulled a tissue out of the box on the bedside table and blew her nose.

"What's the matter?" Claire asked.

"I was reliving it..." Jill wailed, wiping her eyes.

"W-what?" Came a sleepy voice from beside her.

"And it's alive!" Claire said.

"Fuck you!" Chris shot back, rubbing his eyes. Claire faked a shocked expression and placed a hand over Kyle's ears.

"Not in front of the children!" She said. "Oh, sorry Jill, he *is* your son, here." She gently handed Kyle back to Jill.

"So, how are you feeling now?" Chris asked Jill, yawning.

"I'm fine, but maybe you should go home and get some sleep, you look tired."

"But I'm not! Honestly..." Jill raised her eyebrows as he yawned again. He ignored her and turned his attention to his son.

"Hey," He said, looking down at Kyle. The baby tightened it's weak grip around his mother's fingers.

"You know, we'll both still be here in the morning," Jill told Chris.

"She's right you know, I'll drive you home," Claire offered. It took some persuasion, but eventually Chris agreed to leave. As soon as they closed the door to Jill's room, Claire turned around to look at her brother.

"Erm...You didn't hear anything I said to Jill, did you?" She asked. Chris looked genuinely confused.

"Like what?" Claire smiled and shrugged.

"Oh, nothing." Chris smiled as Claire skipped down the hallway. He smiled before following her. He had heard every word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was almost noon that day when Jill finally woke up, and she didn't wake up alone. The nurse had taken Kyle away earlier that morning, so she didn't know who could have possibly been there.

"Hey, sleepyhead," Chris said, stroking Jill's cheek. Jill groaned.

"I thought I told you to get some sleep."

"I did," He replied. "Well, all of two hours' worth." Jill raised her hand and touched his.

"Aww, were you worried about me?" She asked. Chris smiled and pretended to think.

"Not really," He said.

"Redfield, when I get out of here, you are going to regret this...severely." Chris smiled as Jill sat up and tucked stray strands of hair behind her ears.

"Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to go and see Kyle now?" He asked her. Jill smiled and he took it as a yes and helped her stand up.

"Did someone replace my legs with jello?" She asked as her legs gave way, and she fell back down on the bed. They both laughed and Chris helped her back up again.

"I'm glad I didn't let you have your own way," She said. "Otherwise, we might have been going to see Treebeard." They continued through the hospital, towards the room that Kyle Akira Redfield was taken to. The walls were painted a light blue, with pictures of storks carrying babies painted on them, with the occasional circus or fairground painted beneath them. There weren't that many babies in the room where Kyle was.

"I can't beleive it," Jill said. "I am so glad that I didn't cross the pack together." She stared dreamily through the window at baby Kyle, who was currently fast asleep.

"Huh?" Jill realised what she had said and muttered that it was nothing. Chris shrugged and put his arm around his wife's shoulder.

Jill leaned into him and tried to listen to the music that was currently playing softly on the hospital radio.

"Chris?"

"Mm?"

"What do you think will happen when Carlos gets out?" She asked. Chris turned to face her.

"I don't know, and I don't really care, if he thinks that he's going to get to us, he can think again! I'm never going to let anything happen to you," He said, placing his hands on her shoulders. Jill sniffed and leaned forward, so that her head was resting against his

chest.

"I love you," She whispered. Chris smiled and stroked her hair.

"I love you too."

~*The End*~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AN - Sorry that it was way too short, but I just wanted to get it out. So, that's it, and I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story, tek, Spider-Bear, somebody_shoot_me (you change your name too much!), cass-spaz, Shakahna, bookluva87, Rick, Lady-Water-Dancer, ktdid and noctorro. I am so sorry if I have forgot anyone, but thank you anyway. I don't own Friends either, from which I 'borrowed' the slipper bit. And song credits go to HIM with 'Close To The Flame'. Ville's voice, especially at the start of that song just makes me go weak :). Most people don't know any songs before 'Love Metal', but that song is on 'Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights', if you don't have it, go out and buy it! And congratulations to *grits teeth* Sean Penn for winning the best actor oscar and beating Johnny Depp :'(. Why Bill Nighy wasn't nominated for Underworld, I don't know... Anyway, I'm going to go and be miserable until I can think up another story. Bye!