Forbidden Love

Chapter Three:

A few weeks had passed since the Redfield siblings had admitted a much greater love for each other then most siblings possessed, so far they'd only been caught on that one morning by Barry, they'd gotten a lot sneakier. But as is bound to happen, their conpanions were getting curious.

Sherry looked around the yard, Chris was at work and Claire was in the back yard picking raspberries, Jill had gone into town for something or another, probably to try to meet Chris when he got off work, Barry was inside on the phone with his wife making plans to get his family in a few days. Leon was on the back porch trying to get Claire to notice his crush on her.

God I'm so friggin bored. Sherry thought to herself, heading around to the back yard to attempt to see if she could help Claire with the raspberries. When she got around to the back however, she stopped in her tracks, Claire and Leon were arguing about something.

"Look, Claire I don't see why you won't just let me take you out on one date, that's all I'm asking, I'm not asking you to marry me, just dinner and a movie." Leon pleaded for what seemed the thousandth time.

Claire looked at her bare feet. "Leon, you're a good friend but I'm just not interested in dating right now, besides Chris would have your head on a platter if you took me out, he's really protective of me." She tried to get him to leave her alone by walking further into the raspberry bushes.

He reached out and grabbed her arm. "Claire you know he'd be happy to see you out doing something with someone, all you do is hang around the house, you're in his hair constantly. Let him get some work done tonight, come with me."

Claire jerked her arm away from Leon's grip. "Look, I can't go out with you tonight, or any night Leon, I'm not one for dates, besides Chris is taking me to dinner tonight when he gets home."

Leon looked hurt for a moment. "So you won't go out with me but you'll let your brother take you to the ends of the earth and back?" He questioned. "What the hell is going on between the two of you anyway? You're always together, you almost never sleep seperated it's not healthy for siblings to be so god damned close and you know it."

Clare glared at her friend for a moment before noticing Sherry watching them. "Leon, we're being watched right now we can't talk about this here. I'm going inside to clean up, Chris should be home soon and I'm filthy." It was true, she'd been outside working in the garden and had picked enough raspberries to feed an army, her jeans and light blue shirt were caked in dirt, mud, and raspberry juice.

"Right, then when can we talk about it?" Leon asked, stepping aside to let her out of the bushes.

"Leon we'll talk when Sherry goes to bed later okay? I guess we do owe you an explanation." She said and walked inside, nearly crashing into Barry.

"Hey, you alright? You look pretty shaken up." He said, putting a hand out to keep her from falling. He was the only person in the house who knew the Redfieds' secret and he didn't condemn them for it, it's not like you can help who you fall for, and besides he'd been pretty sure it was comming for a long time.

Claire nodded. "Yeah I'm alright, Leon's just getting too suspicious." She explained. "We might have to tell him soon, I'll have to talk to Chris while we're out. Oh, when are you getting your wife and girls?" She smiled at him.

"Tomorrow morning, they're flying in so we have to meet them at the airport, and yes I told Betty about you and Chris, she understands and won't say anything until you're ready."

Claire smiled, thankful for friends like Barry. "I'd better go get cleaned up, do you know where Chris is planning on taking me? I'd like to know how I should dress."

Barry shrugged. "I got no clue Red, but I'd say you should wear that new dress he bought for ya. He said something about making the night special for you."

"Thanks Barry, that helps a lot." She grinned at him and ran upstairs to get ready.

Jill meanwhile, was waiting outside the office Chris was working at, she was convenced if she was there when he got off work she could get him to go out to a movie or something.

Chris walked out of the building with a bounce in his step and a grin on his face, he couldn't wait to surprise Claire with her one girly pleasure, he'd managed to secure tickets to Sleeping Beauty, for a tomboy she could sure be turned into a bright eyed girly girl by the ballet.

"Chris! Over here!" Jill shouted, waving him over. "Why don't we go get pizza or see a movie before we go home?" She asked as soon as he got over.

"Jill today's Claire's birthday and I'm taking her out to dinner then to the ballet. I really can't tonight." Chris said, climbing into the car with her.

"Chris you spend too much time with her, what's really going on between you two?" She demanded as she started to drive towards the outskirts of town.

"Jill it's really hard to explain and I don't know where to begin." He staited.

"Chris I'd like to know just one thing. Do I stand a chance of ever getting to be your girl?" She asked softly.

"Jill, listen alright, when I get back tonight Claire and I will sit everyone down and explain everything alright?" He offered. She just nodded as they pulled into the driveway and Chris hopped out of the car to run inside.

Sherry was in Claire's room helping her get ready. "Why you dressing up so much to go to dinner with your smelly brother? I wouldn't dress up to go to dinner with Leon." She asked as Claire pulled the new light purple dress over her head.

"Sherry, today's my birthday and I know how Chris is, he's probably got something great up his sleeve, and he only stinks when he's been working outside for a while." Claire teased the younger girl as Sherry shuddered and zipped the dress up in the back.

As soon as Chris got inside he ran upstairs to shower and get dressed. "Hey Barry, can you lay out that suit you insisted I get? I need a shower." Barry nodded and went to get it out.

When Claire came downstairs a little later everyone was gathered in the living room, Jill and Leon were in a really bad mood, Sherry was just confused, and Barry was overly happy as his family was going to be there the next day, Rebecca was just being pouty because she was hungry and no one had cooked yet.

Claire entered the living room and all conversation stopped, none of them had seen the tomboy redhead in anything dressier then a sundress and sneakers, now she was in a pale purple ankle lingth dress with puffy princess sleeves, her hair, usually pulled into a ponytail was loose around her shoulders, she'd curled it so it cascaded light waves.

Leon's jaw dropped. "Damn Claire you ARE a girl!" He teased. Barry chuckled and Jill rolled her eyes.

"Not another word Kennedy. I might be a girl but I can still take you." Claire reminded him.

Barry stood and crossed the room, still chuckling about Leon's comment. "She's right Leon she could take you and not even wrinkle her dress, she's ninja woman that way, but Claire you do look lovely." He smiled at her to soothe her ruffled feathers.

"Thank you Barry." She settled down and sat on the nearest chair to wait for Chris.

When he came down another twenty minutes later he stopped conversation yet again. This time, however, Sherry was the one to speak up. "Hey Claire was right you aren't always stinky." She announced, she was rather immature for her age of 15. Chris just laughed and put his arm out for his sister to take.

"So where are we going Christopher?" She asked in a teasing manner.

"Well since you look so lovely, I was thinking dinner then the ballet." He suggested, grinning at her.

Her eyes grew wide and she couldn't say anything, causing everyone to laugh. Chris smiled and let them know that everyone needed to be awake when they returned.

After a light dinner and the ballet Claire looked at Chris on the way to the car. "I'm surprised you remembered this was my favorite." She smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"What can I say? I know my sister far too well." He teased, kissing her head tenderly. She nodded her agreement. "It did feel nice to be normal people for a night didn't it?" He asked, his arm going around her waist.

"Yeah it did, however we're not exactly normal." She pointed out. "I mean how many siblings end up falling in love with each other?" She asked, not meaning to sound bitter about it.

"You'd be surprised at the answer to that kiddo." He answered opening the car door for her then going around to his side and getting in. "You ready to head home?" He asked taking her hand.

She nodded. "We have to tell them sometime, might as well be today." Claire decided. Chris nodded his agreement and drove them back home.

When they waked in everyone looked up from the t.v. Claire smiled at them. "So should we give them our news now or change first?" She asked Chris, biting her lip.

"May as well tell them now and get it over with." Chris answered.

"Just tell us already." Leon demanded, everyone but Barry nodded their agreement to the staitment.

Claire pressed closer to her brother's side, he put an arm around her, understanding her unspoken 'you do it' and nodded. "Alright guys, all of you know Claire and I have been spending a lot of time together lately....well that's because we kind of fell in love with eachother, as in in love in love." He explained, keeping an arm protectively around his sister. As they had expected, Jill and Leon looked pissed, Sherry looked confused, Rebecca looked shocked, and Barry just looked amused by the whole thing.

"How? Why? Have you two...you know?" Jill and Leon asked in unison. Chris and Claire looked at them for a moment before nodding at their last question, causing the two to go pale and sink against the couch.

"You two do realize that's incest and gross and against the law right?" Rebecca asked, looking like she might puke.

Chris rolled his eyes but his sister spoke up, shocking everyone. "It's only gross if you think it is, yes we know it's incest but you can't help who you fall for, and in some cultures it's perfectly okay for siblings to marry and even have children." She spoke loudly, then turned on her heel and raced from the room.

Chris glared at Rebecca then looked at Barry. "Can you go see if she's okay? That last part confused even me." He explained to his older friend.

"Yeah, I'll go see if she's alright, and you got me as to why she said that." Barry staited and headed off after the younger Redfield.

Jill and Leon were still pale from the realization that the people they'd been hitting on were in love with each other. Rebecca glared right back at Chris. Sherry jumpped up and followed Barry.

Upstairs Barry was knocking on the door to Claire's bedroom. "Hey Claire, it's Barry, can you open up the door honey?" He called through the wood, there was no answer from inside the room.

Sherry walked up beside Barry, her blonde hair in pigtails. "She's really upset isn't she?" She asked showing wisdom beyond her years. "I don't see why it's such a big deal to everyone else, so what if they're siblings, love is love sometimes it just shows up." She said quietly.

Barry nodded. "Yeah she's upset, and I agree with you on the love thing but I'm a little worried she won't answer the door."

Sherry nodded. "Here let me try." She knocked lightly on the door. "Claire, it's Sherry can we talk?" She asked the wood.

The door opened enough to show Claire's tear streaked face. "What is it kiddo?" She asked. "Sorry I didn't open the door Barry but I was changing."

Barry nodded. "Chris sent me to see if you were alright." He explained.

"No I'm not okay Barry, can you tell Chris I need to talk to him alone when he has a chance?" She asked. Barry nodded and headed downstairs as Claire let Sherry into the room.

"Claire, why's everyone so upset? You can't help who you fall in love with, right? It's not your fault you and your brother fell in love with each other, so why are they all mad at you?" The girl asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"It's simple Sherry, Jill, Leon, and Rebecca don't see it the way you and Barry see it, but don't worry about it so much alright? It's gonna be okay." She answered hugging the smaller girl. "Now you go take a bath and get ready for bed, alright?"

Sherry nodded, looking better. "Okay Claire, good night." She said and skipped off to the bathroom.

When Barry got back downstairs he looked at Chris. "She said she's not okay and that she needs to talk to you alone. I couldn't get anything else out of her." He said at Chris' questioning look.

Chris nodded and raced upstairs to her room. "Hey Claire-Bear it's me." He called. "Can I come in?" He asked.

"Yeah come on in please." She answered.

He walked in and sat beside her on he bed. "So wanna tell me what that outburst was all about?" He asked softly, putting an arm around her.

She quickly crawled onto his lap, resting her head on his chest. "Chris I think we fucked up big-time." She whispered into his shirt.

"What do you mean?" He asked, smoothing her hair and rubbing her back.

"I missed my period this month." She said simply, not looking into his eyes.

"Shit is that all you're worried about?" He asked, kissing her head. She nodded. "Don't be, we'll handle things as they come okay?" He asked softly, rubbing her back again.

"Okay." She agreed, looking up at him. "I did look up the baby's chances of being alright." She offered slowly.

"Yeah? What did you find?" He asked, playing with her hair.

"There's not that much more of a chance of the baby being born with problems then a non-related couple." She said, finally starting to relax.

"Well then there's nothing to worry about, we're just gonna be parents, we can do this." He said, nervously.

"So we're keeping the baby?" She asked looking hopeful.

"Wouldn't dream of doing anything else Claire, we made this baby together, it'll be the most loved little thing in the world." He answered. "Now I'm gonna go change outta this suit, you wanna tell everyone or should I?" He asked, helping her to stand up.

"I'll do it but not yet, let's wait till we can't hide it anymore, I'm alright with Barry knowing, and Sherry's too close to me not to tell but let's not tell the others just yet." She nearly begged. He nodded his agreement and went to change his clothes.