Hardly Normal
As she sat in her small, cramped, New York apartment working through the towering pile of paperwork she had put off for so long, Claire Redfield heard her mobile phone start to ring. Thankful for the break Claire leaned back on her office chair and flipped open the device holding it up against her ear.
"Hello? Claire Redfield speaking," he didn't utter a word, but instead listened to the soft tones of the others voice. To the uninitiated one could mistake the woman for a Kindergarten teacher, but, although good with children, she defiantly wouldn't have fit-in in a classroom
"Hello?!" her voice suddenly went hard, revealing the strong warrior that had survived not one, but three Bio-Disasters, fighting the legacy of the Umbrella corporation, "I know somebodies there!"
Oops... better now then never...
"Hey Claire, h-how you doing?" oh crap... his nerves were showing "pull it together Leon your an elite Government Agent!" he thought. How come he could talk to her easily in a life-or-death situation, but not over the phone?
"Leon? Hi! I'm fine, although if I have to write one more report on my experiences with 'Weaponised Biological Contaminants', I am going to shoot someone... how are you?"
Coughing slightly Leon slowly replied, "Yeah good. Paperworks always a bitch, after Spain I had to lock myself in my office with a stack of Pop tarts and a gallon and a half of Gatorade for 2 days to get my report done." Claire laughed, and Leon relaxed the ice was broken. "Anyway I didn't call you to talk shop, remember I said we should meet under more normal circumstances?"
"uh-huh.."
"I was wondering if you'd like to go out for dinner? say Saturday at 7?" he crossed his fingers.
"Aren't you in DC guarding Monkeyface?" It was Leons turn to laugh, Claire had given Ashley Graham the nickname when they met briefly at a formal service to commemorate those lost at Harvardville. It had taken all his will power to keep a straight face during the Presidents speech.
"Hunnigan looked over my time sheets and is forcing me to take some of the 14 weeks plus vacation I've earned"
"Well that's what you get if you NEVER take time off" Leon could hear her grin.
"Is that a Yes?" He asked in his most charming voice.
"I would love to," Claire replied giggling slighty, "Where are we going?"
"How does Alain Ducasse sound?" he asked citing one of the most Expensive and Fashionable restaurants in New York. Leon heard a Yelp and crash as Claire tumbled backwards off her chair, the mountain of paperwork shooting into the air.
Knock, Knock "Give me a Minute!" came a muffled and flustered voice.
A Tuxed Leon played with his tie and collar, he could hear the rapid taping of heels coming towards the door, the slide of a deadbolt and slowly the door swung open. Leon breath caught in his throat, a Midnight Blue Evening dress accented her already beautiful figure, her hair free from the customary ponytail flowed over her shoulders in a cascade of brown and red, her eyes seemed to sparkle in the hallway light.
"Leon? Are you alright?"
His thoughts, which had drifted into a realm a certain male Redfield would have violently disapproved of, snapped back to the woman before him, "urm.. yeah I'm fine errr... Wow... *ahem*.. shall we go?" he asked offering his arm to Claire.
Wrapping her arm around his proffered one she laughed, "Come on Bond-boy lets go."
"You joke now, wait till you see my car." he grinned as they headed lifts.
A/N: Please review! I'm slowly getting back into writing and review help the process. Part two coming soon-ish!