Disclaimer:
I, in no way, own or have any part in the Capcom game series Resident Evil. The characters are the property of Capcom and I am just having fun with them. Every event mentioned in this short story is solely from my imagination and should NOT be taken seriously. Some people out there want to read a happy ending with Claire and Steve (I am not one of them, but what the heck). So, I am dedicating this to the Steve fans.
Claire watched her brother in fear as the elevator quickly rose to the top platform of the 'Docking Bay'. Chris had insisted that she wait for him by the Jet. He promised that he would join her momentarily, just as soon as he blew, the transformed, Alexia to hell.
Claire felt a strong anxiety knowing that her only brother was battling a monster that may prove too strong for him. She could not lose him. Chris was the only person she had left in the world. Only a few short moments ago, she had lost a friend that could have been something much more. Steve had been in the same prison that she had been taken to, on Rockford Island. They had escaped together and started to rely on one another for support and a little comfort when things felt like they were at the end.
Claire wrapped her arms around herself as she stared at the elevator. "Please, Chris, hurry. Please be all right. I love you. God, please, keep him safe." She began to feel her nerves stretch tight and a slight tremor flowed unevenly through her legs. She began to pace in front of the jet, hoping that her knees would not buckle under and give out.
Just as Claire was about to give in to her feelings of second guess and disobeying Chris, she heard the elevator arrive at the docking bay and a short 'Ding' sound. Her eyes fixed intently on the slit that would widen and show her the face of her attractive brother.
The doors opened and the elevator was empty. After a short pause, the doors began to close again. Claire's eyes squinted and her brows formed a worried crease on her forehead.
An arm shot out from around the closing door and stopped it from moving. Slowly the arm became a shoulder and then a naked torso appeared. Claire began to run forward to assist her brother when she realized that the man was not her brother at all. Chris was wearing clothes. This man had none covering his bruised and battered body.
"Steve!" Claire could not believe her eyes. She was stunned and could not move. Her eyes traveled all across his face and continued to explore his body. He looked real. He didn't seem to be a threat.
"Claire," Steve managed to force past his dry, cracked lips and parched throat. He stumbled forward and landed in Claire's arms.
Claire placed her left arm around Steve's midsection and pulled his right arm across her shoulder. She looked into his face as she helped him limp toward the jet. She wanted to make sure that there was no sign of him actually being a zombie or any other monster.
"Steve," Claire began, "I don't understand. I watched you die and I didn't hear your heart beating." She was puzzled and trying very hard to comprehend what she was seeing and feeling.
"I need to find you something to cover up with. You are shivering." Claire scrambled into the cockpit and searched for some sort of protection to wrap around Steve's body. She was in luck. She found a Fighter Jacket and a pair of Army Fatigues. There was nothing for him to wear on his feet.
Claire jumped down and assisted Steve with the clothing and helped him to his feet.
"Let's get in the cockpit and I will tell you what I know," Steve said weakly. He was having a tough time catching his breath and he could feel the ground starting to tremble. The facility was rumbling and the detonation warning could be heard.
Steve looked around and asked Claire, "What exactly are we waiting for?"
Claire helped Steve climb the footing on the outer shell of the jet. "Chris is fighting Alexia. He will be here any minute." She tried to sound convincing, but it was difficult to keep the fear out of her voice. "We will have to share a seat, Chris will fly us out of here."
Steve climbed into the co-pilot seat and held his arms up to Claire. She gently sat across his legs and put her arms around Steve for a comforting hug.
Steve cleared his throat and began to tell her what he had experienced while she thought he was dead. "I could have very well been dead, Claire. I really don't know. After everything went blank, all I could hear was my heart beat slowing and then all I could heat was you crying. I wanted to touch you and tell you that I was still here, but I couldn't talk. I couldn't even move."
Claire laid her left ear on his shoulder and rested her forehead on his neck while he continued. "A pain began spread through my body so intense that I couldn't even breathe. At that point I wished I had died. To keep myself from going insane from the fire that was raging through my body, I kept thinking of your beautiful face. I kept hearing you say, over and over, 'We will get out of here alive…together'. I am alive because of you, Claire. I meant what I said, I love you."
Claire gave into her tears and hugged Steve tighter. "Oh, Steve, I love you, too."
"The Self Destruct Sequence has been activated. All personnel, you have one minute to reach minimum safety distance."
A loud explosion rocked the platform and Claire could see fire shooting from the above ground elevator shaft.
"Oh, no! Chris!" Claire screamed as she felt the Antarctic Base begin to crumble.
The elevator doors flew open and Chris shot through the air like a man being blown from a carnival cannon. He landed face down on the deck and moaned. He could feel the air forced from his lungs and the only thing he could do was close his eyes tightly and prey.
Claire leaned out of the jet and called for Chris. "Chris, get up! Hurry it is going to explode!" She saw him slowly crawling toward her and pulled himself up the ladder. When he was able to climb into the cockpit, he saw something that stunned him. He was looking into the eyes of a young man he'd had never seen before.
He jumped into the pilot's seat and started the craft. "Who is your friend, Claire?" He asked as they began to leave the collapsing Base behind.
"Chris, this is Steve. He wasn't dead after all." She managed to say without crying.
Steve smiled at the back of Chris' head, "I've heard a lot about you, Chris. I'm glad to be alive to finally meet you."
Chris replied, "Likewise." He turned slightly so that he could look at Claire and Steve. He saw a look on his sister's face that he had not seen before. Claire was in love. "Well, you two. We are not out of this yet. We have one more assignment, Dispose of UMBRELLA."
Steve raised a fist and said, "Okay, let's do it! I am with you."
Claire smiled, "Don't think about leaving me behind. Chris, promise that you won't leave me alone ever again."
Chris gave her a quick nod of his head and they zoomed through the winter clouds.
Steve pulled Claire closer to him and whispered into her right ear, "I won't ever leave your side again, Claire, I promise. You are all I have left in this world and I am going to treasure you."
Claire believed that this experience had opened Steve's eyes and he finally knew how to trust. She also grew emotionally; she began to feel true affection for Steve. A smile spread across her face as Steve began to plant soft kisses on the back of her neck.