I'd like to thank everyone for all the wonderful reviews. It's always good to get feedback on a piece of writing, and I appreciate you taking the time to write your opinion.
Lime Rickey. I'm glad you noticed that every chapter was named after a Muse song! I'm a little obsessed with them right now, so I thought it would be a cool idea to do that. I was waiting to see if someone would notice!
Kurumi-chan. Thank you so much for your review! It was very long and very detailed. It's great to read reviews like that.
Seto Takahashi. No, I do not have a beta reader, as I suppose you could already tell. I had a good friend who used to do it for me; perhaps I should message her and see if she would still be interested in doing that for me. Thank you for letting me know about my error.
Thank you to everyone else who has left a review, it really keeps me going with my stories.
Please enjoy this chapter. It's a little bit longer than the rest of them, but hey, that's a good thing, right? Please don't forget to leave a review. Thanks for reading, guys!
"Whip that damn grin off your face, Kennedy."
Leon didn't expect Chris to give him a warm welcome, not after what he told him. Yet another downside of his job was the fact that he wasn't around nearly enough to make new friends. The only people he surrounded himself with other than co-workers was the three other survivors of the horrors that fell upon Raccoon City. He was never that close with Jill, and it would have been weird on way too many levels to count if he went to her. And Claire was part of the problem he found on his hands, so that wouldn't have worked either. The only option was, that's right, the big bad wolf himself, Chris Redfield.
Maybe several years ago Leon would've been scared shitless of Chris, even before those biceps came along. But right now, as a top government agent, the fury that was written all over Chris Redfield's face did no more than make Leon smile. He had been around Chris long enough to know that he wasn't capable of hurting a fly. Unless of course that fly happened to rise from the dead. Or went by the name of Albert Wesker. But, then again, you could never be too sure when dealing with someone like Chris Redfield. He was a might unpredictable.
"What? Come on, I can't help it. You've got that whole angry face thing going on."
"Oh, I'm sorry, you're right. Should I be jumping up and down to hear that you made out with my little sister?"
Leon ran his hand through his hair and let out a heavy sigh. Maybe this was a stupid idea altogether. What was he trying to accomplish by going to her older, protective as hell, brother?
"I didn't come here to rub that in your face, so I don't know why you're so angry." Leon shrugged, leaning back in his chair. He rested his hands on the back of his head as he watched Chris carefully. His eyes drifted down to the table between them. Hmm...that butter knife was way too close to him.
"Then what do you want from me, Kennedy?" Chris asked, clearly irritated. He glanced down at his empty plate and noticed the butter knight beside it. Oh, the countless ways he would gut the man before him with that dull little knife...
"I think I want to be with her."
Chris raised an eyebrow. Did Leon just actually say he wanted to have sex with his little sister right in front of him? "What exactly do you mean by that, Kennedy? And watch what you say because I am far from impressed with you as of right now."
Leon laughed and shook his head. He absentmindedly twirled his fork in his hand as a soft smile crept over his face. "I don't know, exactly. I think I could actually fall in love with her. Hah, God, I never thought I would say that about anyone, much less Claire."
"What do you mean, 'much less Claire?' Kennedy, I swear, you are walking a very thin line between going home in one piece or spending a few nights in the hospital."
"Chris, you are taking this way too seriously. I meant, she was right in front of me all this time, and I never noticed that what I was looking for had been there from the beginning. She's always been a friend to me, a really good friend, and I swear I never noticed until now that she was a woman. How could it have taken me so damn long to notice?"
"Alright, did you just say all this time you thought of my little sister as a man?" Seriously, if Leon didn't leave from this table with a swollen face, Chris would be surprised at his self control.
"What? No, God no, Chris. What are you doing to me, man? I'm being completely serious here. I just never thought of the possibility of me dating her before, that's it. Man, you have got to stop putting words in my mouth. Especially weird ones like that." Leon narrowed his eyes.
"Leon." Chris let out a sigh. "I don't think this is a very good idea." Leon opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by Chris's voice overpowering his. "I don't mean because you're my buddy and she's my sister. She's a grown woman, she can date whoever she wants, even if it's...you. I mean the fact that she's got a fiancé already. Not a boyfriend, a fiancé. That, plus the fact that you're gone nearly all of the time. Why would you want to open a can of worms like that and run away for Lord knows how long? It isn't fair to Claire, and I don't want you, or anyone, putting her through that."
Those were all very good points, Leon cursed to himself. But no matter what stood between them, Leon was determined to find a way to be with her, one way or another. He hadn't felt that much chemistry since...well, never. And he was going to be damned if he let it slip through his hands.
"Chris, you don't even like her douche of a fiancé. I think I'm a hell of a lot better for her than that loser. And I'm only gone for so long because I've never really had anything to come back to here. Well, I have you guys, but nothing was actually tying me down. I think if I was with her, I would be a lot more inclined to come home more often. A lot more inclined."
Chris let out a breath and scratched the back of his head. "Leon, I understand that you're not a fan of Lloyd. Hell, me and Jill aren't either. But it's Claire's life. Honestly, you can't come waltzing back whenever you feel like, throw her life upside down, and jet off to save the President's daughter, or whatever the hell it is they've got you doing. It's not fair to her." Chris threw up his arms in defeat as the waiter came by the table and dropped off their bill. Picking up a piece of breadstick, he tossed it into his mouth before he finished. "But like I said, she's an adult now, so are you. You two need to figure this thing out on your own. Just be sure to look at the negative side as well as the positive."
Chris got up and pointed at Leon, flashing him a smile. "And yeah, while you were blabbing about your job, I came to the conclusion that you should grab the bill. After all, you did make out with my little sister."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
God, Claire was in a foul mood. She had cheated on her fiancé, Jill was right, and Leon was stuck on her mind. Not to mention Chris's response when he found out she had kissed Leon. If he ever found out, Claire told herself as a devious smile spread across her pink lips.
She didn't want to be this girl. She never wanted to be the type of girl she suddenly found herself as. She ran around on her fiancé and cheated on him. For what? Leon was leaving in probably a few weeks, if not days, so what did she ruin a sure thing for? She wracked her brain trying to find a reason worth plaguing her heart with such guilt, but found nothing. Maybe lust? She had been with Lloyd for a few years now, and the spark had definitely faded. That could explain it.
"Stop sulking, Claire. Your face will stay like that and then no boy will want you." Jill told her as she passed by the couch in her living room, heading into the kitchen. Claire stuck her finger up at Jill's back. That was the only time Claire would ever feel comfortable flipping her off. Jill Valentine was a force that even Claire did not want to mess with.
"Put that finger down, Claire." Jill warned her from in the kitchen.
Claire slowly lowered her finger. Her eyes scanned the living room, a nervous look on her face. "How the hell did you know that? Jill, do you have cameras in here or something?"
Jill walked out of the kitchen with an apple in her hand. Walking by Claire again, she smiled and shook her head. "No, you're just predictable." Jill teased before disappearing in the other end of her apartment.
Claire smiled and shook her head. She had never gotten along very well with women. Claire was stubborn and a tomboy and most girls that she grew up with didn't appreciate that. Jill was the first and only woman that Claire had ever actually gotten along with. And that was a damn good thing, too. Of all the women in the world to have as a best friend, Jill was definitely a kick ass one.
Rubbing her eyes with her hands, Claire let out a groan as she lay back on the couch. She stared at the ceiling, staring at it with such intensity as if the answer to all her problems had been written on it this entire time. But no, they weren't. Just white paint stared back at her. Claire looked closer. Chipped white paint.
"Jill, repaint your ceiling, you lazy ass." Claire called out, stretching her legs out below her.
"Claire, I swear to God, I will come out there and suffocate you."
"Yeah, with that big ass of yours."
"Claire, that's it-"
Claire jumped up. "Okay, okay, I'm kidding. Down, Jill, down! Maybe I'll just leave before you find yourself stuck with the dilemma of hiding my dead body."
Jill popped her head out of the hallway. She looked at Claire, confused. "Well, where are you going to go?"
Claire shrugged. "Home?"
"Claire..."
"I know, I know, it's stupid. It's just...all my stuff is there, and I really don't like leaving it there without me."
"Do you want me to go grab it and bring it to you? I have no problem taking a little drive."
Yeah, so Lloyd can get lost in your endless cleavage? Claire thought to herself. "No, that's alright."
An evil grin grew on Jill's lips. "Make Leon go. That'll give Lloyd a nice scare."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She didn't know what to do, but she knew that she had to do something, and quick. Jill went out to grab both her and Claire coffee, leaving Claire alone in the warm apartment Jill called home. She sat on the couch, staring blankly ahead as she tried to sort the pros and cons of the situation at hand.
The television was off, the radio was off, hell even most of the lights were off. The setting sun outside filled the apartment with a beautiful pink colour, reminding Claire of how beautiful life was. So why wasn't she enjoying it?
She never liked to be alone for too long with her thoughts, because after a while, they began to get the best of her. She would question anything and everything around her. But mostly, she would find herself beginning to question her relationship with Lloyd. And this time, unfortunately, was no different.
If Umbrella had taught her one thing, it was that life is terribly short. Live like today is your last day, Claire thought to herself.
Make no mistake, she loved Lloyd. She just wasn't in love with him anymore. Each time he gave her a reason to question their trust and commitment, she found herself loving him less and less until she could no longer find the feelings she once felt for him. How can you marry someone you can't even trust? It didn't make any sense.
Claire cursed herself for not being strong enough to stand up and walk away. If any one of her friends were in her situation, she would tell them to get out and get out now. So why couldn't she follow her own advice?
Claire glanced down at the engagement ring on her finger and twirled it. It glittered from the light of the lamp beside her, sparkling elegantly. Had she jumped into everything too quickly? Maybe. But now her guilt was overwhelming her, and if she left him, she would be consumed by it.
She hated Leon for making her doubt her relationship. Who the hell did he think he was, coming into her life after years of absence and throwing everything upside down? Just because he's a government agent he thinks he can do whatever the hell he wants. A smile spread over Claire's face at the thought. She couldn't believe what a man the naive little cop had turned out to be so many years down the road.
Letting these thoughts upset her was doing no one any good. This was not a decision that could be solved overnight. So she was not about to sit back and let it ruin her sleepover at Jill's.
Claire plucked her phone off the living room table her feet were propped up on and flipped it open. She clicked on Leon's number and put her phone to her ear, ignoring her rapid heart beat as the phone rang on the other end.
"Hey, Claire. What's up?"
"Not much, I'm still at Jill's. What are you up to?"
"Well, I'm just heading home now after picking up the tab for both my and Chris's food. Doesn't the BSAA pay him well enough to buy his own food? God, Claire, the man eats like a beast."
Claire laughed. Yeah, that was her brother. "You think that's bad, you should see how expensive his grocery bills are. Anyway, I was wondering if you could maybe do me a little favor?"
"Anything."
"Could you maybe go by my place and pick up a few things for me? I don't really feel like going home, but I really want some of my stuff. Just in case. You know how paranoid I am."
"Yeah, I know. That's not a problem, Claire. Just tell me what you want."
"My laptop, my cell phone charger, and maybe a change of clothes? Hell, just grab whatever you can."
Anything to keep her from going back to the bastard. "The key still in the pink flower pot?"
"Yes."
"Even after all these years, eh Claire? Someone's going to catch on and you're going to have a visitor waiting for you one day."
"As long as they're not looking to gnaw on my flesh, I'll handle them accordingly. Thanks a lot, Leon."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Leon rocked back on his heels. He stuck his hands deep into his pockets after he rang the doorbell, deciding it would be best if he didn't use the key Claire always left hidden under the flowerpot. He wanted to go in, grab her valuables, and get the hell out of there. He was not looking for a fight, and he knew that if another guy showed up with a key to their house, Lloyd would not appreciate that. Especially if the other guy was grabbing Claire's stuff and leaving.
The door swung open and left Leon speechless. Leon's mouth fell open as he stared straight ahead of him. He searched for words to say, but nothing came out. He was in no way expecting this.
"Can I help you?"
Leon studied the woman at the other end of the door and cleared his throat. The woman's platinum blonde hair was messed up, her eyes heavy and covered with makeup. She tied up her robe, realizing too much of her was showing to the stranger before her. Though the robe covered most of her pale legs, Leon could still see the high heels she was wearing. Well, at least she was wearing something.
"Is Lloyd there?" Leon finally asked.
"He's in the shower right now. Are you a friend of his?"
"Oh yeah, I'm a real close friend of his." Leon said, trying to keep his voice calm. He clenched his fists together in his pockets and reminded himself that she was not the one who was in the wrong. That asshole in the shower was.
"Oh, well come on in, then. He went in a while ago, so he should be out soon."
"Excellent. I'm just going to go grab some stuff in the bedroom. I'm running on a tight schedule, so hopefully he'll come out before I'm done."
Leon heard the woman go into the bathroom and talk to Lloyd as he grabbed Claire's belongings in the bedroom she shared with him. He heard the water shut off moments later and knew that a confrontation was going to go down whether he liked it or not.
Leon reached behind the bed and took out a small suitcase. He knew Claire had only asked for a few things, but there was no way in hell he was going to let her go back to Lloyd now. Over his dead body. He threw as much clothing he could fit in the suitcase and zipped it up when he heard footsteps come up behind him.
With the suitcase in his hand, Leon turned around to see Lloyd standing in the doorway with only a towel around his waist. The woman stood behind him, worry written on her face as her blue eyes shot between the two men.
"Well, if it isn't the guy Claire's banging."
Leon narrowed his eyes. "I'm not here to start anything; I just came to grab some of her stuff and leave. So if I were you, I'd get out of that doorway and let me walk out of here right now."
Leon headed towards the door but was stopped by Lloyd's shoulder. Leon glanced to his side, his eyes meeting with the other man's.
"You're not leaving here with any of her stuff. I suggest you put that shit back and tell her to get her ass home."
Leon turned to face Lloyd, standing a few inches over him. "I suggest you get out of my way. And Claire, your fiancé, is never going to come here again. The only Redfield that will be stopping by this place will be her brother, and the reason for his visit will be to kick your ass. And who knows, maybe I'll come by too. I think that's a fight I'd be very interested to watch."
Leon pushed past Lloyd and ignored the woman as he made his way down the stairs, heading to the front door. He wasn't an idiot; he knew exactly what had been going on in this house since Claire had left. The next time he was going to take a step inside this house was to kick that little prick's ass. And that was something he would have preferred sooner rather than later.
