A/N: The end is near, just a few more chapters, I'm feeling a little sad.

Chapter Twenty One

Of Old Friends and Family

12 o'clock, bring a gun.

~L

Leon eyed the note of his desk cautiously. It was a post-it note with almost perfect curved writing on it. On the back was an address and the note was signed with an 'L'. He should take the note to security and demand to know who had put it there and why. He should have, but he didn't. He was curious. Whoever this person was, they were either someone he worked with or it was someone who was very sneaky. He twirled the note in his hands and thought of the various scenarios that stemmed from this note. On one hand, it could just be one of the other guys shitting with him. Or it could be one of the girls wanting some 'alone time' with him. On the other hand… it could end badly for him.

He stared at the note for the longest time, an inward debate shooting through his mind. Eventually, against all better judgement, found himself grabbing the note from the desk and leaving his office.

Jean smiled and filed her nails as she sat at her desk. Being a secretary for a government office was not a very hard job, despite what people believed. All she really had to do file forms, transfer calls and occasionally call for security. Other than that she was able to enjoy time listening to gossip from the other women in the offices.

She hastily hid her nail file at the sound of the elevator beside her dinging. She looked over to see Leon walking out. She smiled, he was always good for a chat.

"Good morning Leon."

Leon stepped to her desk. "How are you today Jean?" he flashed her the smile that had all of the other office girls swooning.

"I am well, thank you." She leaned onto the desk. "Where are you off to for lunch?"

"Meeting a friend." He replied vaguely.

Jean leaned her chin on the palm of her hand and sent him a sly grin. "Off to meet a girl?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he sent her a cheeky smile.

She giggled and leaned closer to the edge of the table. "I really would, the girls all talk about these sorts of things- especially you, and you're very popular you know?"

He rolled his eyes in response. "I'm sure I am. Look." He leaned closer. "Don't mention this to them."

Jean opened her mouth to give a cheeky reply but closed it again. The look in his eyes was something she only saw in him when he was being completely serious. She nodded in response to his question and watched as he relaxed. She frowned and if it were possible, leaned closer.

"Are you alright Mr. Kennedy?"

He frowned and was quiet for a few moments as though in thought about something. "I want you to call me in an hour. If I don't answer, alert someone."

Jean frowned as eyed him. She wasn't stupid. He was about to do something stupid. She just hoped that nothing went wrong, as cool as he seemed he was only human and he had seen some of the more colourful injuries he had received by doing stupid things. "Don't hurt yourself Leon."

He nodded and waved her goodbye before walking out of the building. Jean eyed the door for less than ten seconds before she reached for her mobile phone and set the timer for fifty nine minutes from then.

X

Leon drove down a dirt road and looked down at his GPS. This was in the middle of nowhere, quite literally, the last house he had passed was at least two miles away. He was starting to feel a little uneasy about the situation. Why would anyone want to meet him this far out in the middle of nowhere unless it was for something dangerous. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. This felt like a stick up. Something felt wrong.

His GPS made a noise, signalling that he had reached his destination and he pulled into what appeared to be an old barnyard. He touched the gun strapped to his leg and switched the car off. Leaving the car he looked around for any signs of someone else. He couldn't see anyone, that didn't mean that they weren't there though.

"Hello?" he called stepping closed to the barn.

"Leon!" a hauntingly familiar accented voice called.

Leon's eyes went wide as a figure walked from the old barn.

"Luis!"

XXX

Claire fidgeted as she waited for Chris. He had asked to meet her for lunch, so now she was sitting in a Denny's waiting for him. She felt nervous. Chris had been insistent on the phone, he had practically demanded that they meet for lunch. Claire enjoyed seeing her brother, but something about this situation seemed strange to her.

She sipped at her drink and looked out the window. She watched the people rushing by to get to wherever it was that they needed to go. She smiled. There was something therapeutic about watching the people go by.

"Claire." Claire jumped and turned at her name. She turned and saw her brother standing beside her booth.

"Hi Chris." She waved at him and gestured for him to sit. She watched with amusement as he struggled to squeeze into the booth.

He glared at her amused smile. "It's not funny Claire." He grumbled and seated himself.

"It really is," she quipped. "It's not my fault that you are the size of a house." She gestured to his hulking mass. "How have you gotten so huge? Are you taking the roids?" it was meant in gest, but given her brother's size, she wondered if she was right.

He frowned at her before waving over a waitress for some coffee. Once he had his coffee he smiled and drank some, before pulling a face. "We should have gone to the other Denny's" he put the mug on the table and pushed it to the side.

Claire rolled her eyes. Chris had always been fussy about his coffee. She looked down at her own cup. Empty. She eyed Chris' cup and he wordlessly pushed it to her. She smiled triumphantly and took a sip.

"So what's up?" she asked. "You seemed pretty insistent that we meet up?" she raised a brow at him.

He frowned and looked out the window. His jaw set as though he were in thought. Claire frowned, Chris had been quite pensive since Jill, she wondered if he was going to the counselling that she had organised for him. When a few minutes passed without him answering she opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm leaving soon Claire, and I don't know if I'll be coming back." He said simply. He didn't look at her though, his eyes remained fixed on the window.

Claire's eyes widened and she let out a gasp. The back of her mind tugged at her. Wesker was leaving soon as well, to go to Africa, her stomach churned at the thought that the two were related. She felt a pain in her chest, she didn't want this. She didn't want her brother to get hurt, and she loved Wesker to much for him to get hurt.

She suddenly sucked a breath.

Love.

She loved Wesker.

Her eyes widened and her stomach clenched. How did this happen? Why did this happen? How did she allow this to happen. Her brain whirled with thoughts in a maelstrom of chaos. She loved him, how long had she been feeling this? Did he feel the same? She almost laughed at that, Wesker wouldn't love her. Her frown deepened.

"That's why I called you here Claire." Claire almost jumped at Chris' words.

She looked at her brother and found him staring at her with a hard face, but sad eyes. "I need to talk to you," his eyes hardened. "about your supposedly non existent affair with Wesker."

Claire's heart stopped.

Chris watched Claire silently for the longest time. His eyes searching hers, as though looking for an answer or an explanation. Claire had nothing, she was unable to speak, her voice gone. Her expression seemed to tell Chris all that he needed to know. He sighed and shook his head viciously as though trying to shake an annoying fly away.

"Claire why?" he said finally, his eyes returning to hers. "You of all people. You know what he is, what he does, why Claire, why?" there was desperation in his voice. Something that Claire had never heard before and is made the experience all the more difficult.

She ran her finger around the rim of her mug. Her mind trying to bring her thoughts together. "It just happened Chris." She offered helplessly.

If there was anything that she could have said to make the situation worse. That was it. His face scrunched, in anger or disgust was unknown. "Claire don't give me that shit, how the hell does it 'just happen'?"

She clutched her mug and made a helpless gesture with her shoulders. "I don't know Chris, I know that's not a good excuse, but it's all that I have." She glanced up her brother before looking back at the mug. "It's started with Belle,"

She heard him snort at the name of Wesker's daughter and she sent him a glare. "It started with Belle," she repeated. "and then, it happened. I'm still not sure how, but it did and I can't change that fact."

Chris was silent for some time before he narrowed his eyes. "Fuck Claire, once I can maybe get, but why is it still happening?"

Claire's cheeks flushed and she looked up at him with uncertain eyes. "Chris, do you…" she trailed off.

"I know Claire." Came his reply. "I've heard things… fuck Claire I saw you two together!" he was getting louder and Claire sent the waitress a look of apology for his outburst. The waitress shrugged it off as though things like this happened all the time.

"Chris look what do you want me to tell you?" she shot back at him. "Yes I'm with him, are you happy now?"

Chris swung his head to look out the window. His eyes seemingly staring at the people outside, but they weren't, he was in his own world and who knew what was happening in there at the current moment. Claire licked her dry lips and took a nervous swig. She waited for him to say something, anything. The time ticked by and it felt like hours had passed.

Claire jumped at the feeling of her phone vibrating. She pulled the device out of her pocket and looked down at the message displayed on the screen. It was an address, for half a block away. Another message came through.

For when you are finished with Chris.

Claire felt a smile tug at her lips. Wesker was waiting for her. She had support. She put her phone away and looked up at Chris who was glaring at her. She raised a brow at him in response.

"You look like him when you do that." Chris mumbled and shook his head again.

"Chris.." Claire began. "I'm sorry…"

Her words made him snort. "I'm sorry? I'm sorry Chris that I'm fucking the most evil bastard in the world." She opened her mouth to defend herself but he stopped her. "You're fucking Wesker, Claire, fucking Wesker. Of all the evil sons of bitches-"

"He's different with me Chris." She snapped in Wesker's defence. The action surprised herself as well as Chris.

"So the asshole plays nice and you fall into his hands." He let out a tsk. "Fuck Claire don't you see he's using you, to get to me? He's already fucked Jill over." His eyes glazed over as he mentioned Jill.

"This isn't about you Chris." Claire clutched the edge of the table. "When Albert and I-"

"Shit it's 'Albert' now?"

"I am talking Christopher and you will listen." She snapped, drawing the attention of some of the other patrons. "You are my brother and I love you, however this is a decision that you are just going to have to accept. Albert and Annabelle have given me something that I am not going to give up." Her eyes softened and she rose from the chair. "I am not going to step in, you say that he's using me? Maybe he is, but we don't talk about you, or any of this mess. He respects my decision to not involve myself and I don't want to see either of you hurt so I refuse to involve myself."

She moved to stand beside him and touched his shoulder. "That is all I have to say about this Chris. I really hope that you make it back from Africa safely. I love you." With that said she turned to leave. There really was nothing more that she could say.

"Do you love him?" Clare stilled at Chris' words.

"Yes." She didn't look back at him and continued to walk away. She did however hear him murmur another 'fuck'.

Once she was out of the Denny's she took her phone out a looked down at the address. She then took off. She sped walked down the street, manoeuvring people as fast as she could in her journey. When his car was in sight she practically ran to the car. Panting she flung the door open and climbed inside.

"How is dear Chris?" Wesker quipped before pausing. He took in the sight of her heaving chest. Her shaking body. Most importantly, her red and wet eyes. "Dear heart." He reached into his suits pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. He held the black silk out to her.

Claire looked at the object then up at his face, then into the eyes peering over the glasses. She let out a sob and flung herself into his chest. Her hands clutched at his shirt while she cried. Wesker said nothing on her actions, his arms simply moved to wrap themselves around her.

XXX

"How are you still alive?" Leon asked incredulously. He couldn't believe his eyes. Luis was standing in front of him. Luis the man who had died. At least he was pretty dead the last time Leon had seen him.

Luis chuckled and dusted some dirt off his jeans. "I don't think you would believe me Leon." He gestured for Leon to follow him into the barn.

"Now I have to know." Leon let out a smirk and followed the other man.

The barn was old and falling apart, it was covered in spider webs and dirt. The paint had long peeled and Leon wondered just how the old wood supported itself. He looked over to Luis who was standing by an open door beside him was a large pile of plate and set out across the field were bottles, some clearly visible, others were hidden. Luis waved his pistol and gestured to the field. "Up for a round?"

Leon grinned and unclipped his gun, as he did so his phone began to ring. He took it out and flipped it open. 'Jean.' He smiled. He answered the call and assured the woman that he was fine and that he would see her later. When he had finished he put the phone away and walked over to Luis.

"Bottles for info?" Leon suggested.

Luis let out a chuckle and nodded. "Alright partner." As soon as the words left his mouth Leon turned and shot one of the bottles that was hidden in a tree.

"How are you still alive?" he asked with a smug grin.

Luis let out a hearty laugh. "Senor Wesker felt the need to spare me."

Leon's brow furrowed and he looked completely confused with the statement. "Why and.. how?"

"Ah ah ah." Luis waged his finger cheekily. "Bottles for information, remember?" he took his turn. Lined up a shot and fired. A bottle shattered and he turned back to Leon a smile on his face. "Now what do I want to know…?" he looked Leon up and down with a smile. "I'll start easily, what have you been doing all this time?"

Leon shrugged. "I've been working for the government. Pretty boring really." His answer caused Luis to frown.

Leon took his shot and another bottle shattered. "Why did Wesker help you?"

Luis shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. Probably something to do with my sister." He then lined another shot and took it. Another bottle smashed. "Now Leon…" he leaned against the barn. "Would you like a beer?"

Leon chuckled. "Waste of a question Sera, my answer is yes." He watched as Luis walked over to the cooler and lifted the lid. He took out two bottles and popped the lids. He walked back to Leon and offered him one, which Leon happily accepted.

Leon took a swig of his drink and watched as Luis did the same. A moment of peace passed the pair as they just stood there, drinking and enjoying the peace and quiet.

"Seriously Luis." Leon began. "What happened, how are you still alive? What do you mean 'your sister'?"

Luis sighed and took another swig of his drink. "Look he wasn't exactly forthcoming with the how's and the why's. I'm alive, he has me do work for him, that's about it." Another swig of his drink. "As for my sister, she's the mother of his daughter. Maybe he thought he owed her something so he saved my life?" he shrugged and took another swig. "I don't pretend to know what goes on in his mind"

Leon drank some of his drink and mulled over what Luis had told him. "So you're Belle's uncle?"

Luis nodded and replied with a simple 'Si'

Leon filed the information into the back of his mind for later use. "I suppose I'll just be grateful that you're alive and that he didn't use you for an experiment." Luis snorted and nodded in response. "Now Luis," Leon began. "Perhaps you want to tell me what the plates are for?" he smiled and gestured to the pile.

Luis grinned and picked up a plate. "Get your gun ready." When Leon did, Luis proceeded to throw the plate. Leon fired and the plate exploded.

"Oh this is going to be fun!" Leon laughed and did the same for Luis.

XXX

"Goodnight Claire. Goodnight Daddy." Annabelle smiled at the pair as they tucked her into her makeshift bed on Claire's floor.

"Goodnight Belle." Claire smiled back. She and Wesker then left flicked the light off and left the girl to sleep.

Once they were out of the room Claire went about making some tea while Wesker sat himself on the bed in their bedroom. Once Claire had finished with the tea she took the cups into the bedroom and passed one to Wesker before she sat beside him on the bed.

She held the cup to her nose and inhaled its scent. She frowned, it smelled stronger than usual. Sure it was green tea and green tea was usually strong, but it smelled different today. She shrugged and took a sip of the warm liquid. Her face instantly scrunched at the flavour and she found herself placing the cup on the bedside table. She wondered if she had made a bad batch because it had never tasted that way before. She glanced at Wesker who was drinking his. He didn't seem to have any problems with it, so maybe it was just hers that was affected? She frowned and shook her head- she would worry about it tomorrow.

She looked over to Wesker and found him watching her intently. His deep eyes poured into hers, as though searching for something, though what Claire could only guess.

"Thank you…" she said softly a sweet smile taking her face. "Thank you for today."

His hand cupped her chin and pulled her face to his. Claire felt heat pool in her abdomen as his lips pressed against hers. She responded instantly and her hands lifted, one to his chest and the other to threaded through his hair. The progression from there was slow, hard, soft and sweet all at the same time it seemed. To Claire there was a message being told to her, something important was happening between them. Something tender and special. When it was finished she found herself curled at his side, the sound of his heart lulling her to sleep.

"I love you." She mumbled as the darkness took her.

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. I'm not sure how many are left.

Review?