Learning The Hard Way

Claire, two months later sat on a stool, as a woman brought out her wedding dress. It was breathtaking, and Claire felt a mix of elation and heartache. The wedding may not even be going ahead, but she didn't have the heart to tell the woman who was talking to her. She had zoned out, and snapped her head up when the woman shoved the dress hanger in her hands. She sighed and took it, forcing a smile on her face before going into the changing room.

After taking off her clothes, and slipping on the slightly flared out bottom half, she looked in the full length mirror and felt her eyes well up. Rebecca was supposed to be there with her, but she was caught in traffic, so Claire had told her that she would keep her bridesmaid dress and see her another time. Jill was now heavily pregnant, with only two weeks to go until her due date, so there was no way that she could fit in her dress. Perhaps she couldn't attend the wedding either, as her baby would only be a few weeks old on the day. Trying to put that aside, Claire put her arms in the short lace sleeves, and pulled up the small beaded chest fabric. She called the woman back in to tie the corset back, and after that, she gushed over Claire, constantly telling her how beautiful she looked. She was supposed to feel like an angel, happy and excited. All she felt like was a fallen angel, with a broken halo and clipped wings.

Only after taking off her dress, thanking the lady and leaving the shop did Claire allow herself to cry. She now lived in a home that she bought, with Chris and Jill's help. Driving home whilst sobbing was hard, and only when she got back did Jill, and Chris, who had been discharged from the hospital a week ago see her state. His brotherly instinct kicked in immediately. He walked up to his little sister and hugged her like he hadn't seen her in years. It hurt him to see her like that. It made him want to hit Wesker repeatedly, until he couldn't get up anymore, to knock that smirk and those stupid sunglasses of his smug face. Claire had to look away and grab a tissue to blow her nose. She did so and sat down, wiping her now red eyes free of the cascading tears.

"What do I do? I want to give Wesker a chance, but I worry that he'll take it, be nice for a while and then revert back to his usual, bitter self. He'll just take advantage of it".

Jill sat down next to her and rubbed her back. "There is only one way to find out".

Chris sat on the other side of the couch and nodded, even though inside he felt the rage trying to boil over. He managed to swallow it back. "Jill's right. But I don't want you going alone. I can't and won't trust him, ever".

Claire glared at him. "What do you suggest? Coming with me? Hiding in the corner like some mission? Really Chris?"

He sighed. "No". He sighed again. "Okay. So, you going to call him?"

She nodded and got her phone from her pocket. She went outside and dialed Wesker's number. He answered the phone and it made her miss him a hell of a lot more.

"Claire? I heard Christopher was out of hospital and that he is doing well".

Claire shook her head, he knew everything, and she wanted to question how he did. But she had called him for one reason, and one reason only, not to further complicate matters.

"I am really proud of him, he's doing great. But that's not why I called. I have been thinking. Would you like to go out? For a meal or something?"

Wesker's mind said yes, screamed yes towards his mouth. Keeping his tone even was getting tougher by the second.

"Yes. I am free this Saturday, if that's okay with you".

Claire smiled. "I am free then. Say 7pm at the Le Flame Rouge?"

"I shall make a note of it. See you then, Claire".

The way he said her name, purred it made her quiver, and she mentally scolded her body for doing that. He hung up and she went back in the house with a smile on her face.


Date night arrived and Claire tried to look good, but not like she had tried too hard. She styled her hair in a loose bun, with some wavy hair left out. Her makeup was minimal. Her dress was knee length, covered her chest and was a light golden shade, with a slight shimmer to the fabric. Her heels were small and had a few straps on them. She felt apprehensive, fidgeting often with her nails, or the hem of her dress whilst in the cab to the restaurant. When she arrived, she was a few minutes early, and hoped that the date went well.


Chris and Jill were looking at the scan of their daughter, marveling at her little hands and her ears. They hadn't picked a name yet, they were too busy buying clothes, bottles, nappies, a cot and everything else they would need for becoming parents. Chris had gotten a parenting book, and was baffled for a few days, almost deciding that he would do it without the book. Jill laughed at him, she had gotten giggly lately, he figured it was her hormones. The baby was kicking more and more by the day, as if reminding her carrier that she was there.

After they ate, Chris got concerned. Claire had said that she would keep in touch, but she hadn't. Unless the date was going well, which he grimaced at. He was happy for Claire though if that were the case. His phone rang after he washed the dishes and he wished he hadn't answered it.

It was Claire, and she was shaking, he could hear it in her voice.

"Chris? He...he didn't show. He didn't even have the nerve to phone me to cancel either. Please, come get me, I don't feel safe outside".

Chris could have throttled Wesker right now, but his first priority was Claire.

"Go back inside the restaurant, I don't like the thought of you being outside. Tell the staff what happened. I am coming to get you. Hold on sis".

Jill frowned and hugged Chris as he left the house and got in his car. When he arrived at the restaurant, Claire was all on her own as they were closing soon. She had a few glasses and bottles of red wine on her table that were picked up as he walked in. He shook his head, Claire was drunk and miserable, and all because of that heartless old bastard. She looked up at him with bleary eyes, and he put his arm around her shoulders and helped her up and into the passenger seat of his car. The journey was deathly quiet, Chris had no idea what to say, how to comfort her, and Claire was too drunk to talk. She just stared out of the window the whole time.

When the pair arrived back at their house, Chris didn't speak to Jill, she knew what had happened and his somber expression said it all. He took Claire to her room and sat her so her head was over the toilet. He knew that red wine can have nasty consequences if too much is consumed, and he didn't want her vomiting everywhere. He went back downstairs and his facial expression was murderous.

"I could kill that asshole, I swear I could. That fucker does not deserve my sister. Hell, I wouldn't wish him on anyone".

Jill passed him a beer and drank some of her tea. "Well, didn't he have that syringe a few years back? With that cloudy stuff in it? What was it, I can't remember...".

Chris' head shot up. "That stuff that he said would destroy the viruses, and his red and white blood cells. Holy shit Jill, you are a genius! All we need to do is get that syringe and inject him".

Both knew that Claire would resent them for that, but Wesker's actions, both past and present warranted his death. The tyrant would die if they could just get that needle. Claire's voice alerted them and her hands held on to the banister opposite her bedroom door.

"Kill him, I don't care anymore".

The pair looked at each other. Claire couldn't possibly mean that...

Or could she?