Don't own anything RE related. Only thing that's mine are the words and how they are mixed together.

Beautiful marble twin staircases spiraled into one, leading patrons and vendors down into the main ballroom. Chandeliers made of Swarovski crystal hung high above the formally dressed attendees, making the room sparkle in bright shimmers of various colors. Several tables were set out for the guests, inviting them to try the many appetizers that were displayed on them. A quartet played soft Baroque pieces from Bach, filling the air with a calm soothing environment. But Claire Redfield's nerves were on high alarm. She gave a small polite smile to a couple who had just happen to meet her gaze. She felt a hand on the small of her back.

"Relax, would you?" whispered Leon Kennedy. "We're here for information. This isn't a lab that we're trying to blow sky high."

Claire rolled her eyes, but she didn't move away from Leon's touch. "I know," she said. "I just want to make contact, get the coordinates of the next base, and then leave."

Leon's hand found hers and he pulled gently, guiding her into a dancing crowd. "It's been what... two months since we've had a break?" he said, putting his hand on her waist keeping the other intertwined with hers. "Besides, it's not often that I get to see you dressed like this." He pulled away, as though he were letting everyone in the room see how beautiful she was.

"Leon..." she said in embarrassment. It wasn't often that she dressed this way period. She had let her hair down and curled the ends, adding volume to her naturally straight strands. A snug pearl colored evening gown, hugged her body, showing off the curves of her hips and waist. It was a simple dress, but the transformation of tomboy Claire into "stunning enchantress" as Leon put it, was beyond description. She wasn't completely pulled into the world of beauty; she pressed her legs together momentarily, finding comfort that her gun was still strapped to her thigh. There was a high slit on the right side of the dress, allowing her easy access to the gun in worst case scenarios.

She thought that Leon cleaned up rather nicely as well. He had kept his dirty blond hair slicked back, and some of the strands had broken free of the hair spray's hold, but Claire wasn't complaining. He decided to match her and wore a white tuxedo, but she also knew he carried his own arsenal of weapons within the white jacket. 'Hope for peace, but prepare for war' was a motto they had to live by nowadays. Even with Umbrella gone, there were new players in the game that wanted their hands on the plans of creating bio weapons. They just never learned...

Claire glanced at her watch. "He's late," she said in annoyance. Her mind hit a mental wall when she felt Leon move against her, guiding her through a slow waltz. He rested his chin against her forehead, and they moved slowly; she for one was enjoying the closeness of their bodies.

"He'll be here," he said in reassurance. His eyes met hers, and she could feel her cheeks getting warm. Fighting Umbrella all this time gave her no time to think about normal things like relationships and a future with a husband and kids. She put her hand on his shoulder and followed his lead. If the viral infections didn't exist, if they didn't have to go through unless labs and destroy them, if they didn't always have to be on the run, she thought that Leon would have made a very suitable man to have a future with.

"You do look a lot like Chris," Leon said.

"That's romantic," Claire huffed, but she smiled. The thought of her brother also gave her hope and strength.

Leon chuckled, "I've never been one to know what to say to the ladies." Now that, she couldn't believe.

"Please, you have women gawking at you left and right," Claire said with a hint of jealousy. It was very easy to see the women who took their time staring at Leon.

"Yeah, well there's only one that I care to have the attention of," he said smiling, before he pulled her close then gently pushed her away, causing her to twirl, keeping their finger intertwined. The music died down and there was a small wave of applause.

Immediately, a man was by her side when the next song started. "May I have this dance?" he asked in a low voice. She glanced at the man then back to Leon.

He feigned defeat and winked at her. "Looks like I'm not the only one that's being favored. I'll grab us some drinks." When Leon's back was turned, the stranger grabbed her hand and lead her to a different area of the ballroom before he placed a hand on her waist.

Claire kept her eyes downcast, feeling her natural shyness creep up on her. 'Typical, Claire,' she thought. She could stare a tyran down, but when it came to men, she had to fight to keep her nerves under control. The man was clearly a head taller than her, but he moved gracefully. When she gathered up enough courage, she gazed into his eyes. They were a beautiful shade of blue, but they were cold, unforgiving. A chill shot through her body, but she kept a calm, natural facade. There was something about the man that raised a red flag in her mind.

He smiled, but it seemed unnatural on his handsome face. There was something about his features. They were almost... too perfect. "You're quite the dancer," he said.

"Thank you," she responded, forcing a fake smile. "Don't know where it comes from because I don't think my brother can dance."

He let go of her waist, allowing her fall back, then gently pulled her back into his embrace. "Yes, your brother does have a tendency to dance with death now, doesn't he?"

Claire's eyes widened. Her nerves went on overdrive and felt a wave of panic. How could she have forgotten. "You-!" she started, but was cut off when he proceeded to dip her. He was always very strong; she remembered the last time she was at his mercy. That was years ago. As time went by, she had managed to forget his image, but it was his red fiery eyes that haunted her. She glared at him when he pulled her back up. "Your eyes..."

"Well, I can't very well attend such a fascinating spectacle looking as I did. I am merely using the disguise of contacts, dear heart," Wesker said, keeping her close to him.

She couldn't cause a scene in front of all these people, he could kill everyone in the room without a second thought. "What do you want?" she asked firmly.

"It has been what... seven years, Miss Redfield?" he asked as though he was completely oblivious to the panicked state she was in.

"Give or take," she snarled, attempting to pull free.

He kept a firm hold on her, but surprisingly he was not hurting her. "Your brother has been quite elusive these passed years. And I must say that your 'Anti-Umbrella' club has been most impressive lately."

"You bet your ass, we are," she said sharply. When she pulled her hand away this time, he used her momentum to turn her around. Now her back was against his chest and his mouth was only inches from her ear.

"I've taken it upon myself," Wesker continued, moving with the music, "to see exactly how well you have been handling yourselves. And I found it fitting to test you and Mr. Kennedy first. Especially, you."

That was a threat. Coming from the power hungry monster, any time she heard test coming from his lips, she knew that he had just raised the stakes. "What are you going to do?" she asked, turning her head slightly, trying to see his face.

He placed his cheek on hers, keeping her from looking at him. "I would advise that you and Leon leave this place immediately, dear heart."

Claire's mind ran through every possible scenario she could think of that would put these people in danger. The only thing she could think of was that Wesker had released infected animals or people into the building or he had released the virus itself. Her eyes scanned over the unsuspecting crowd, trying to see if anything was out of the ordinary. Suddenly, she heard glass breaking above them. One of the chandeliers was plummeting toward a group of women.

"Move!" Claire screamed, breaking free of Wesker's hold. Many women screamed, and shouts of fear had filled the ballroom. The moment Claire saw that the women had been pushed out of harm's way, Claire reached for her leg holster, her fingers wrapping around her trusted Beretta. She aimed it at Wesker, and she was angered further when he just stood there, inviting her to pull the trigger.

She bet that he didn't think she'd actually fire on him, well surprise for him, she wasn't the same Claire he remembered all those years ago. She fired to kill, but she wasn't stupid enough to think that a lone bullet would be the end of Albert Wesker. She felt satisfaction when he frowned at the bullet hole directly over his heart. It was more of a statement than a threat to his health. She wasn't afraid of him. He could probably kill her the moment she slipped up, but she wanted him to know that he couldn't manipulate or control her.

Several bystanders fled the room when they heard the gunshot, but it was probably for the best that they left. Claire waved the Beretta around, trying to scare the onlookers into running. "Get out of here, now!" she barked. Who knew what was loose inside the premises. She soon found her answer when she heard a blood curdling scream behind her. Large masses of flesh dropped down into the ballroom. Claire remembered the sickening green color of the reptile like skin. Shit... Hunters.

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Well, this is first for me in the world of RE. Love the games and books, so I thought I would try my hand at a fic. Not exactly sure where I intend to take this, but I hope you all enjoy the ride.

Kris