Resident Evil: Tangled Web

By: PhantasmBabeIvory

(Author's Notes - Thanks to everyone who has been waiting patiently for this chapter. I hope it meets all your expectations and then some.)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Even though this counted as the second time he and Claire had kissed, Elliott was glad this was the first he remembered. The contact caught him off guard, but the shock wore away quickly. It was like a floodgate opened; she became the only thing he could focus on. His hand stilled on the back of her head, his concern over her well-being falling by the wayside as desire for her took hold.

The still-conscious part of his mind noticed when her own hands slid around to his back to pull him closer. Her short, muffled moan reached his ears as their bodies melded together. Feeling her writhing against him almost sent him over the edge, but also brought him to his senses.

With great reluctance, Elliott pulled back and opened his eyes to look at her. It appeared she was panting as much as him; he wondered absurdly if her heart was racing the same way his was. He was trying to think of something clever to say to break the tension without killing the mood when another voice sounded behind Claire.

"Aw, don't stop yet. I was hoping for a good show," Jessica drawled.

Claire stiffened and started to turn, but Elliott stopped her. He still didn't know what Excella had said to upset her, but the last thing needed was for Jessica to exacerbate the situation. "No one invited you, Jessica. What are you doing here?" he said.

Jessica smirked. "Last I checked, every inch of this facility is fair game. I'm free to roam wherever I want… Or maybe, I'm here to better keep tabs on you two."

"Without Raymond? I doubt it," he said indignantly.

"Oh, he's just outside the door, sweetie. Can't say I blame him. Your little display probably got him pretty turned on."

Claire's face was beet red when Elliott looked at her. "Oh god oh god oh god," she said in embarrassment. She tilted her head down and he barely heard her muffled plea, "Get me out of here."

The back of Elliott's neck felt like it was on fire. So much for keeping this from getting worse, he thought. He couldn't tell if she was talking to him or not, but leaving sounded like a great idea. "Let's go, Claire."

Jessica seemingly couldn't resist putting one more nail in the coffin. "By all means," she said as she stepped to the side. "And feel free to continue this back in your room. That's a recording I would love to watch over and over." Her eyes drifted to Elliott's crotch as she shamelessly added, "I bet you look good underneath those clothes, Mr. Gregory."

"You'll never know," he said as he guided Claire from the room. At the entryway, he threw a quick glance at Raymond. Thankfully, Jessica's partner avoided looking at them as they moved past him.

They were at the elevator before Claire cleared her throat and said, "I don't think I've been this mortified since I was caught spray painting a teacher's car in high school."

Elliott chuckled. "Hard to picture you as a hell raiser, even as a teenager."

"Sad but true. I was a completely different person before I lost my parents. Between that and the other horrors I lived through in the years that followed… It changes you, for better or worse." She paused. "I feel like I'm at another crossroads. Scared of what being in this place long term might do to me."

The elevator doors opened and they got on. He pushed the button for sub-level five and asked, "What did you and Excella talk about?"

Claire sighed. "In a nutshell, she doesn't agree with my decision to want to be normal. Presented quite the argument against it… Damned if I don't disagree with some of the points she made."

"Like what?"

"She… She said there's a possibility my newfound healing ability could be used to save others. Cure the terminally ill, for instance."

He considered this. "Didn't you say your friend, Sherry, has had a healing factor for eight years? If such a thing were possible, wouldn't it have been discovered already?"

"Sherry's regenerative capabilities aren't nearly on the same level. Wesker said she wouldn't suit his needs, remember?" Claire paused. "If I do decide to stay this way, I'd likely share her fate. I'd be remanded to a government facility once Wesker decides he's done with me. Call me selfish, but I don't think I'd be happy with that."

"There you go. As long as Wesker keeps his word about making you normal and letting us go, Excella's opinion is just that."

"Maybe so, but it still left me conflicted… What bothered me the most about the conversation was not having you with me, Elliott. I feel like you're the only thing in this mess I'm certain of anymore."

He wrapped an arm around her as they stepped from the elevator. "The way you threw yourself at me was a sure indication."

She blushed. "We did have a pretty steamy make out session," she said coyly. "I can't even remember the last time I did something like that… I feel stupid for assuming we'd get some privacy. Bad enough that Jessica had to be watching. That I could have dealt with, but Raymond…"

Elliott stopped dead in his tracks. "Come to think of it, why did they come to check on us? Wesker's growing so many different plants in the greenhouse that it should be wired for surveillance in case of trouble."

She turned to look at him, her eyes wide. "Do you think they saw something on camera we didn't?"

"Maybe," he said, thoughtfully rubbing his jaw. "Wesker did tell us weeks ago there are certain things going on in this facility that don't concern us."

"Too bad we can't press him for information as per our agreement. Be nice to know what's taking place behind the scenes."

He sighed after several seconds. "You know what, forget all that. We've been doing a lot of speculating since we got here. Maybe we should stop wasting time on mysteries we're not likely to solve and focus on something more positive."

"Such as?"

"Us. That kiss… Is it crazy of me to ask if we can officially call ourselves a couple?"

She laughed. "Forging a relationship while being held prisoner by the devil? Why not? I've done plenty of other strange things in my time."

"So that'd be a yes?"

She dealt a light, seemingly playful hit to his arm. "As long as you don't mind the downside. Like you said, we're under surveillance even in our own living quarters. Don't really fancy giving anyone a free peep show while we're here."

Elliott smirked. "Pretty safe bet there's no camera in our bathroom. I doubt Wesker would go that far, and Jessica implied just twenty minutes ago that she hasn't seen me naked… So maybe the occasional shower together…"

"Slow down, Romeo. I don't think we're at that stage yet."

"Yeah, you're right. Taking it slow is probably the better option." He hesitated. "What do you say we pick up where we left off with dating?"

"Now I know you're crazy."

"I'm being practical. Getting close just because we're isolated is one thing. What about when we're free? You think you'd still want to have me in your life?" he asked.

She paused and tried to imagine reuniting with her family and friends. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that getting her life back in order wouldn't be an easy undertaking. Between finding a new job, a new place to live, and sharing stories of what happened… would she even have room for Elliott, or vice versa? "I don't know," she said after a long moment.

"Me neither. But… You're one of the most terrific and interesting people I've met, Claire. I thought so even before we wound up here. I'd like to get to know you more as a person, superhuman or not."

She nodded. "Mutual. I bet you have a ton of great stories yourself worth sharing."

"You don't know the half of it, Redfield. Hope you don't mind that I've been calling you by your last name."

"Not at all. To be honest, I kind of like it," she said with a smile.

He smiled back. "Alright… Let's make it official then. Would you like to join me for dinner tonight?"

"Sure thing, goofball…"

After all the tension circulating over the past couple months, the last thing Jessica expected from a "mandatory meeting" in the boardroom was a celebration. What was even more surprising was that Excella had brought a large bottle of white wine for them. She briefly wondered why Wesker wasn't present, but figured that maybe such recognition wasn't his style

Taking a sip from her glass, Jessica asked, "What's the occasion?"

"Dr. Yamata has just informed me that she's making great strides in her work, especially on our newest project," Excella answered. "Finding out about Miss Redfield's condition before anyone else was a great stroke of luck. Bringing her here with very little complication was even better. Commendations to you and your partner for pulling that off, Miss Sherawat."

Jessica beamed. It was nice to be praised for once. "Thank you." She looked at Raymond and gently nudged him. "What do you say to that, partner?"

Without even cracking a smile, he flatly replied, "All in a day's work."

As they all clinked glasses together, Excella added, "Here's to the promising enterprise ahead. May the coming year be everything we imagine…"

Day One-Hundred Sixty-Five – May 19th, 2007

If Claire were asked to make a list of odd things to experience during her confinement, she never would have imagined having her hair cut by Wesker's leading scientist. Or rather, having it repaired from the hatchet job Elliott had done the day before.

As she fussed with Claire's uneven red locks, Dr. Yamata said, "You would have been better off coming to one of us first, dear. This looks terrible."

Claire sighed. "Just fix it please. I can do without criticism."

From his spot across the room, Elliott crossed his arms and said, "And I should at least get points for trying. It's not like anyone here advertises that they have experience as a hairdresser."

Claire suppressed a laugh at the thought of Wesker, Excella, Jessica, or Raymond making a living as a stylist. "If you wanted someone to give you points, Elliott, you should have said something earlier. I'd gladly do it."

Dr. Yamata put her hands on the sides of Claire's head to tilt it up a tad. "Be quiet and stay still," she said gruffly.

Whatever you say, Dragon Lady, Claire thought. Dr. Yamata might be a top-notch scientist, but interactions with her over the past several months had proven to Claire that she wasn't very friendly. She had tried a couple times to engage Dr. Yamata in conversation, but the scientist wasn't having it.

For the next twenty-some minutes, the only sound Claire was wholeheartedly aware of was the snip of the scissors, then the loud drone of the hair dryer. She didn't have a mirror to peer into, but the look in Elliott's eyes told her that Dr. Yamata was doing an admirable job.

When Dr. Yamata announced she was done and removed the smock, Claire reached up to feel her hair. It hung to her shoulders and was shorter than she was accustomed to, but it was in part her own fault.

She brushed at a few loose hairs causing her neck to itch and said, "Thank you… And while I'm here, it's probably time for you to take another blood sample."

Dr. Yamata nodded without a word and retrieved a couple syringes and an elastic band from a nearby drawer.

Elliott remained silent for half a minute while Claire had her blood drawn, then said, "Have you been making any progress on that cure?"

"I'm getting closer," Dr. Yamata said with a slight edge to her voice. "Before you ask for details, I'll remind you that last time you said my explanation went over your head."

"Maybe you should use layman's terms in that case."

Claire rose from her seat with a sigh. "Elliott, no antagonizing the person who holds the cards to getting us back home… She did say initially she expected it to take eight months at the least."

"Hard to believe that when we're not getting anything other than 'getting closer'," he grumbled.

She stepped up next to him so she could whisper in his ear. "We'll take it up with Wesker if it will make you feel better." She leaned back and added, "So how do you like the new hairdo?"

"It looks good on you, Redfield," he said with a smile. "Very sexy."

"Flatterer."

Dr. Yamata fixed them with a stern gaze. "If you two are finished, you can leave."

Thanks for the reminder you're not a people person, Claire thought as Elliott wrapped an arm around her to escort her from the room.

They didn't even make it to the door before someone stepped through it. Claire halted and blinked at the new arrival – a bug-eyed man about her height dressed in a white business suit. When he spoke, it was in a high-pitched tone that made her wince.

"Good, you're here," he said rapidly after only a quick glance up from his phone. "Raymond said you'd be, but I wasn't sure. Hope you're ready to talk business, doctor."

"Now's not the time, Mr. Irving!"

"Tell that to our friend, Svetlana. She's getting impatient waiting for…" He broke off momentarily when he looked up and noticed Claire and Elliott were present. The smile that crept onto his face was just as unpleasant as his voice and the way he looked. "Well, well. Looks like we finally meet in person, Miss Redfield."

"Don't get excited. She and her friend were just leaving," Dr. Yamata said pointedly.

"Is that so? Too bad." To Claire, he said, "I've been itching for a chance to talk to you. Sure you can't spare a few minutes?"

"I'll pass," she said.

Irving shrugged. "Have it your way. Maybe we'll run into each other again down the road, dollface."

She didn't know what bothered her more – the fact that Irving was leering at her or that he completely disregarded Elliott. Jesus, where does Wesker find these people in his employ? Villains-R-Us?

Elliott shared her sentiments when they were at the end of the corridor. "I think we just found someone more unlikable than Excella. I'm surprised this is our first time seeing this guy."

"Guess we'll have to update our 'most hated' list. Was beginning to think we'd never do that twice in one week," she quipped.

He smiled and remained quiet until they reached the elevator. "You feel like going to see Wesker to ask for a progress report?" he asked.

"Sure. Wouldn't have brought it up otherwise." She looked at a digital clock on the wall. "Although… Jessica and Raymond are due to bring some more provisions to our place in a few minutes. Might want to head back down to meet them."

He hesitated. "You know you're just saying that because you don't want them in our apartment unsupervised… To be fair, you don't know that Jessica took the items that have gone missing."

"Who else would have? She's had it in for me since we got here."

He looked like he wanted to argue, but he merely sighed. He slid a hand behind her head and said, "A lost shirt and bracelet aren't that big a deal in the long run, Redfield. Promise me you'll let this go if you fail to catch her stealing something."

She closed her eyes and let out a breath to relax. "Look at you playing peacemaker."

"Doing my best." He ran his fingers through her hair. "Sorry about getting overzealous with the scissors yesterday, but the new do looks awesome. Wish I had a picture to capture the moment."

"Just one more to add the collection of snapshots you're likely dying to post to Facebook someday," she joked.

"You know it," he said in an equally playful tone before he touched his lips to hers.

Jessica just knew it was going to be one of those days when the cart she and her partner were using to convey supplies from storage broke down. She had a bit of a sense that one of the wheels was going to fall out of alignment and was able to grab the corner of one of the boxes just before the cart collapsed. "Shit!" she exclaimed when the container she held tilted enough that half of the contents spilled onto the floor.

She dropped to her knees with an exasperated sigh and quickly fixed the wheel. She alternated between surveying food items for damage and refilling the box when she became aware her partner hadn't moved. She looked up at Raymond in annoyance. "Care to help or are you just going to stand there?"

He smirked and crossed his arms. "I would help if it weren't entertaining seeing you on all fours."

Jessica paused, torn between irritation and amusement. "Don't know whether to call you an ass or a horn dog." She leaned back on her haunches and began to sift through the medication bottles. "Do me a favor and mark off the meds I call out… Headache pills, muscle relaxants, multivitamins…" She continued reading labels and moving bottles from one side of the container to the other until she was sure she got them all.

"That's everything except the allergy pills manufactured for Elliott," Raymond informed her. His eyes moved to the floor and he added, "Which I don't see."

"Damn it! Help me look!"

"Take a breath, Jess," he said without moving. "It couldn't have gone far." He paused. "Try underneath the shelves."

"Thanks a bunch for making me do all the work," she grumbled as she leaned down. After several seconds of searching, she finally spotted the wayward bottle. "Jackpot," she said, reaching under the cabinet to retrieve it. "Now let's get moving… I can do without another tirade from the boss or Miss Redfield for running late."

"I can only imagine how she'd react if she found out what you did a couple weeks ago."

Jessica shrugged. "Bit surprised Elliott didn't tell her."

"That you made a play for him? Why would he? Guy has to know that Miss Redfield would blow a gasket if he shared it with her… Why would you think he'd take you up on the offer anyway?"

"Because I don't know many guys who would turn down a chance for sex after months of abstinence."

"Must mean he really cares about her. In which case you lose, Jess."

"I hate losing," she grumbled. "Especially to her. How is it fair that she gets so many privileges when she's the one being held captive?"

He shook his head. "As a general rule, life's not always fair. The sooner you learn that the cards don't always fall in your favor, the better off we'll all be."

"You make it sound like you expect me to do something stupid, Ray."

"Not just that. I've seen you do something stupid when you're angry… I'm asking you to stop before you and Miss Redfield get into another altercation."

Jessica pressed the button for the elevator as they reached it, then turned to face him and crossed her fingers behind her back. "Consider it done."

When the elevator doors slid open, Jessica turned to step on. She stopped when she saw Claire and Elliott were already on board. She stared at them a second or two in surprise, then extended a hand to keep the doors from closing. "What a coincidence. We were just talking about you two… Hope you don't mind riding down to your apartment together."

Claire didn't look happy, but she nodded after sharing a glance with Elliott.

"Nice haircut, sweetie," Jessica said in a saccharine tone as she and Raymond wheeled the cart on board. "Think you might leave it down or stick with the usual ponytail?"

"Jess," Raymond warned.

She looked at her partner. "What, I'm just making conversation. That's allowed, isn't it?"

"I suppose so." Raymond shifted his gaze to Claire. "It does look nice," he said with a blank expression.

"Thank you," Claire answered. Her eyes fell on the boxes. "Got anything new for us?"

"Only what you've requested," Jessica said. "Hope you…" She stopped when her phone rang. She stared at it a second in surprise, then lifted it to her ear and hit the answer button. "Hello?"

"Put Miss Redfield on, please," came the cold, crisp tone of Wesker's voice.

Jessica's gaze involuntarily lifted to the camera in the top left corner of the elevator. "Su… Sure." Her hand shaking slightly, she handed the phone out to Claire. "Boss wants to talk to you."

Claire's eyes widened, but she didn't look particularly scared as far as Jessica could tell. Glad one of us is getting comfortable here, Jessica thought sardonically. What a difference half a year makes.

"Wesker?" Claire asked once the phone was by her face. She was silent for several seconds, then said, "Yeah, let me ask him." She covered the mouthpiece with her hand and turned to Elliott. "He's inviting us to his place for dinner."

"Both of us? That's a first," Elliott said. After a second, he shrugged and added, "I'm up for it if you are, Redfield."

"Count us in," Claire said into the phone. "Black tie or casual?"

Jessica resisted the urge to do a face palm. Miss Goody Two Shoes and her boy toy jumping at the chance for a meeting? Now I've heard everything. Next thing you know, they might just be joining the boss on one of his business trips outside the facility…

"I really wish we had a camera," Elliott said in a sultry voice as he gazed at himself and Claire in the bathroom mirror. "If there were one memory I'd want some record of, this would be it."

She raised one hand to tease his hair, delighting in the feel of his arms wrapped around her waist and his warmth against her bare back. She had never worn such an expensive or low cut evening gown before in her life, but she could see an appeal to it. The red chiffon also felt good against her skin. "No argument there. You look pretty handsome, Elliott."

"I think the word you're looking for is sexy," he answered as he nuzzled her neck with his chin. "Same goes for you, Redfield."

"You need to stop that, or you're going to make us late," she lightly scolded.

"Wouldn't want that." He stepped back with a sigh, allowing her to touch up her lip gloss. "Do you think Wesker will agree to take a picture if we show up on time?"

"Maybe if we ask nicely. Who knows with him?" She sighed. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

Claire wasn't surprised when the door to Wesker's quarters slid open in invitation as she and Elliott approached. What got her was the strong aroma of freshly cooked steak accompanied by the scent of something sweet. She could hear a soft undertone of classical music as they stepped inside – Chopin if she wasn't mistaken. Her gaze wandered to the covered dishes on the dining table before she focused on their host.

Wesker looked perfectly relaxed, standing by the bar with a half-full wine glass in hand. Claire did a double take upon seeing him. She had gotten so used to his standard black leather getup that the dark grey suit with a silk burgundy shirt came as a surprise. "Welcome, Miss Redfield, Mr. Gregory," he said, his lips barely curled up in a smile. "Glad you could make it." He gestured to the glasses and decanter on top of the bar. "Help yourselves."

Neither she nor Elliott made any move to grab a drink. "Something smells delicious," Elliott said.

Wesker nodded. "Beef Wellington. A personal favorite of mine. Hope the two of you find it agreeable," he answered.

"I take it you also employ a chef in this facility."

"Not necessary. I prepared the meal myself, Mr. Gregory. I'm a bit disappointed that you believe I don't know my way around a kitchen." He turned to look at Claire. "The shorter hair suits you, Miss Redfield. I didn't think it possible for you to look lovelier than you already did."

She self-consciously touched her hair. "Thank you."

"This is quite a place you have here," Elliott commented. "If I didn't think you had refined tastes before, this display would convince me."

Though Claire had been invited several times, it was refreshing to see Wesker's living space through someone else's eyes. She cast a glance around the expansive room that housed a kitchen as well as dining room and office furniture. She could also see an ebony grand piano and fancy leather armchairs in an adjoining room. "I've been meaning to ask if you play," she said to Wesker, gesturing to the piano.

"When the mood strikes me. Perhaps I'll regale you this evening."

She knew better than to press Wesker, but part of her was curious just how proficient he was. Over the past several months, she had seen more of a human side to him. It didn't change the underlying fact he was holding her and Elliott against their will, but seeing him engage in mundane activities from time to time made it harder to view him as a full-fledged monster.

"You're being more pleasant than usual. Should we be worried?" Elliott said with a raised eyebrow.

Wesker chuckled. "Hardly. Far be it from me to dampen an extra special occasion." He looked at Claire. "I know it's a day early, but allow me to wish you a happy birthday, Miss Redfield."

Though this situation felt downright surreal to her, she managed a smile. "Can I ask what you have in mind to mark this occasion?" she asked hesitantly, her mind adrift with thoughts of being told she and Elliott would be able to return home.

"That is something we can discuss at length over a meal. If you would," he said, gesturing to the table.

Claire poured herself a drink when Wesker moved away from the bar, as did Elliott, then took a seat. She lifted the silver dome covering her plate and blinked at the sight of a steak – tenderloin, she thought - wrapped in some sort of pastry. Though the dish came as a surprise, she had to admit that it smelled divine.

"Bon appetit," Wesker said. She looked at him to see him cutting his food into small bites.

She smiled at her first taste of the Beef Wellington. She had nothing to compare it to, but her mouth was watering in seconds. "Wow," she said quietly. "This is delicious… What do you think, Elliott?"

Elliott raised his wine glass in a show of appreciation. "Compliments to the chef. You'll have to let me know what recipe you use, Wesker."

"That can be arranged, Mr. Gregory." There was silence until each of them had consumed at least half of their food, then Wesker went on with, "I must say I'm pleased that the two of you have gotten more at ease in my company. May the remainder of our time together be just as satisfying."

"Any idea how much more time we're looking at?"

"I am not currently able to give you an exact date. But Dr. Yamata has delivered some very promising results. Another couple months, and we just might have a viable cure to the G-Virus."

Claire felt a tiny bit thrilled at the thought. Though she was wary of the people manufacturing this cure, there was some consolation in knowing that it would exist. She leaned forward and said, "You never told me what you're planning to do with this vaccine. How much is the world going to benefit from the work you're doing here?"

"Quite a lot, to be honest. Especially you, Miss Redfield." Wesker paused and suddenly produced a small rectangular box to set on the table between him and Claire. She couldn't even begin to guess where he'd stashed it. "My gift to you for tomorrow. Happy birthday."

It's a good thing my brother isn't present to hear this conversation or his head might explode, she thought. She hesitantly reached for the box and opened it. The small vial containing some sort of beige liquid and topped with a rubber cork both perplexed and alarmed her. "What is this?"

Wesker half smiled. "The first step to giving you back the normal life you desire. A serum manufactured by Dr. Yamata and myself to suppress your healing factor."

She exchanged a bewildered look with Elliott. "I don't know what to say," she said after a long silence.

"The customary response would be thank you," Wesker said smoothly.

"Why would you even care about celebrating my birthday?"

"Maybe you've grown on me." The lack of inflection in his tone made her unsure on how to take that. Without waiting for an answer, he added, "Ten milliliters at a time should suffice. If not, I can up the dose accordingly."

"Does this serum work? Will it really do what you claim?" she asked.

He patiently folded his hands together on the tabletop. "I would not be giving it to you if I wasn't sure, Miss Redfield. Frankly, I thought you'd be ecstatic over being given the first milestone to getting your life back." He paused. "Or could it be you're doubting its purpose? If so, there's a file folder containing research and development notes on the kitchen counter you're free to look at."

She touched the vial with one hand, feeling overwhelmed. It was one thing to hear Wesker promise something. It was quite another to see that promise made a reality.

"Thank you," she said for the second time that evening. Oh, my God. Did I really just say that? The first time had been an involuntary response to Wesker's compliment of her hair. Her gratitude was more genuine in this instance; the notion that she was actually praising him for anything made her sick to her stomach.

Elliott grasped her hand in his. She looked at his smiling face with a start. He gazed at her for a couple seconds before he turned to Wesker. "Does this mean I can expect a gift when my birthday rolls around?" Elliott said sarcastically.

"Only if you're prepared to offer something in return, Mr. Gregory," Wesker said with a slight scowl. "But as things currently stand, you have nothing I'd be interested in." He pushed his chair back and got to his feet. "That being said, I must step out for a few moments for a business call. If the two of you wish to take the leftovers back to your apartment, you'll find aluminum foil in one of the kitchen drawers."

As soon as their host stepped out, Elliott moved around to her side of the table and sat down next to her. "Claire?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

She appreciated that he could read her moods so well and didn't have to ask what she was thinking. "He sure makes it hard to view him as an all-out bad guy," she said quietly, gaze returning to the vial in front of her. "And yet… I can't help but feel this is all a game and we haven't even begun to see how it's going to play out."

"Unless he really does have a soft spot when it comes to you."

She hesitated. "He has implied as much, now that I think of it… It doesn't matter. Hell will freeze over before I actually reciprocate." She patted his hand. "No worrying about fighting anyone for my affection," she joked.

He laughed. "You're adorable," he said as he leaned closer to rub noses with her.

Wesker was gone so long that they had time to pack up the remainder of their meal for later and explore his quarters in greater detail. A door at the back, which they could only speculate led to his bedroom, couldn't be opened, but they otherwise had the run of the place. There wasn't much to look at apart from the fancy, overpriced furniture. She was a bit surprised when Elliott pointed out the lack of artwork and she wondered aloud if there were any paintings behind the locked door.

She tapped a few keys on the piano when she wandered over to it, smiling at the sound of the mismatched jingle resonating in the air. "Too bad I'm no virtuoso or this might hold more entertainment value." She looked at him. "Don't think I've asked if you play."

Elliott shrugged. "Took lessons when I was much younger. My Mom insisted on it. Didn't hold my interest enough for me to stick with it once I started high school." He stepped close, looking at the music sheets positioned on the wooden slat. "Chopin, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky… At least Wesker's got good taste for the classics."

"If you say so. Don't know a lot about classical music."

"Want me to play you something?"

With a silly grin, she nodded. "Knock yourself out."

Elliott sifted through the booklets and muttered, "Let's see, which one's the least complicated? Okay, here we go, Beethoven's Sonata # 14." He sat down, positioned his hands over the keys, and said in a flirtatious tone, "Prepare to be charmed, Redfield."

She remained silent as the music started. She had no idea if Elliott was hitting the right notes, but it sounded beautiful and haunting. She closed her eyes and let the melody soothe her.

The sudden raucous notes punctuated by a loud thud killed the mood. Claire snapped alert and took a step back with a start. Before she even registered that Wesker was back, he said in a hard tone, "I don't recall giving you permission to touch something that isn't yours, Mr. Gregory."

Elliott staggered to his feet and protested, "You didn't say I couldn't…"

Wesker's hand half curled into a fist at his side, and she caught a glimpse of his eyes glowing bright red behind his sunglasses. She gulped, stepped forward, and put her hands on Elliott in a protective gesture. "We didn't mean any harm!"

Wesker stared at them in silence for several seconds, then turned away and said sharply, "Noted. Now get out."

Slack-jawed, she gaped at him before a surge of anger descended on her. She nodded and said bitterly, "Thank you for the reminder of what a bastard you are. I'll remember next time to not give you the benefit of the doubt."

They were back in their apartment before Elliott said something. He set the serum vial on the kitchen counter and said, "Maybe I shouldn't have assumed he'd be okay with it."

"Doesn't give him the right to fly off the handle the way he did. If it was that big a deal, he should have said something."

"Is there anything I could say that would make you feel better?"

She sighed and stepped close to wrap her arms around him. "I'll be fine. Just give me a few moments to calm down," she murmured.

He quietly embraced her and she sighed again. Though she thought there was nothing verbal that would have a pacifying effect, he proved her wrong with just three whispered words.

"Happy birthday, Redfield."

She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "It sounds better coming from you."

It was nearing four AM when Elliott, fully clothed, woke up and slipped out of the bed he and Claire had been sharing for the past two months. He threw a glance at her to be sure she wasn't roused, then silently crept from the room.

In the hallway outside their apartment, he was startled to find Jessica. She beamed upon seeing him. "Hey, you!" she said flirtatiously. "It's almost like you knew I was coming."

His gaze drifted to the bottle of champagne in her hand. "Are you really deluded enough to think this will win me over?"

"Oh, it's not from me, sweetie. Boss asked me to deliver this." She held out a folded note. "Said he wanted to apologize for whatever happened earlier."

Elliott took the slip of paper and opened it. He couldn't deny that it was Wesker's handwriting or he would have doubted her claim. "Tell him thanks," he said with a sigh as he accepted the champagne.

"So what are you doing sneaking out this late?"

"None of your damn business."

Jessica smirked and shifted her weight to dig something out of her pocket. "Have it your way. It's not like I don't know you've been putting together a surprise gift for her."

His gaze narrowed when he saw a pack of Marlboros in her hand. He half expected her to offer him a cigarette like she'd previously done, but all she did was stick one between her lips and light up. He took a step back and blurted out, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Just because you've given up smoking doesn't mean the rest of the world has, sweetie. I applaud you for your fortitude. Maybe it will rub off on me." She paused. "But then again, maybe temptation will make you change your tune."

Elliott couldn't move fast enough to avoid getting a puff of smoke blown in his face. He stumbled back and coughed, but it was too late. Within seconds, the cravings he thought he'd buried reignited in full force. He clenched his fist at his side and fought the compulsion to grab the cigarette from her.

Jessica laughed and began to walk backward to the elevator. "Be sure to tell her happy birthday for me. And good luck at suppressing your nicotine addiction while you're at it… I can't wait to see how well you fare."

"Damn it," Elliott said under his breath. He set the champagne on the floor and pressed his hands against the wall, taking a few deep breaths to try and calm the urge. He soon realized that the smell of smoke lingering in the hallway wasn't helping and decided it may be better to get back on task.

Once he was on the elevator, he rubbed his face and wondered just how much the day was going to suck for him.

Claire had gotten accustomed to waking up to the smell of apple cinnamon pancakes and seeing Elliott's smiling face as he served her breakfast in bed. The added touch of an envelope bearing her name and a vase filled with a bouquet of flowers on the tray made her grin the instant she laid eyes on them.

She propped herself up and reached for the card. Her smile widened at the birthday cake drawing done in marker on the postcard-sized white paper and she said, "Thank you. You're a sweetheart."

He sniffled and rubbed his nose as though it itched. "Doing my part to make this day as memorable as possible. Happy birthday."

"I look forward to seeing your definition of memorable." She leaned forward to give him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Then go ahead and eat up. Then we can get started with the birthday extravaganza."

Claire was prepared to dig in to the pancakes when she noticed something off about him. "Are you okay? You look a bit flushed."

"I'm fine. Just…" He gestured to the flowers. "Went to the greenhouse to put this together. Not sure the new batch of allergy pills work. I took two, but they haven't kicked in." He shrugged. "I'm sure I'll be alright once the hay fever passes… I should also mention that Wesker told me a week ago that he and his cronies would stay out of our way. This day is all ours to spend however we like."

Her grin widened. "That sounds wonderful!"

After she'd finished her breakfast, he set the tray aside to coax her out of bed and into the main room. She was delighted to see a pink frosted cake underneath a glass lid on the counter. "Wow. How long have you been up?"

"Several hours. Plenty of time for baking and for putting the finishing touches on my gift for you. Which isn't actually here so you can stop trying to spot it… So what do you want first? Cake or present?"

"I'll have to go with present."

"Sure thing. Just give me a few minutes to get changed and we can head up."

Claire stepped over to the kitchen counter to get a better look at the cake, smiling when she saw "Happy Birthday" written in blue cursive letters across the middle. She was debating if she should ask about the flavor when Elliott came back. She laughed when she saw him dressed in a loud multi-colored Hawaiian shirt and aqua nylon shorts. "Dare I ask?"

"Only if you want to ruin the surprise."

Anticipation kept her quiet for the elevator ride up to sub-level two. Nothing could have prepared her for what she walked into. It was quite literally like stepping into another world. She couldn't decide what astonished her most – the sand covering almost the entire floor, the heat and bright light that felt like the sun, the scent of saltwater, or the sound of crashing waves and cries of tropical birds. The even bigger surprise was that there were some lounge chairs, a changing tent, a large cooler and what looked like a massage table present. Once the shock wore off, she looked at Elliott and said, "My God, how did you do all this?"

"I had some help. Wesker provided the materials and the sound effects CDs, and he basically created the simulated sunlight vibe. Everything else, I set up myself." He coughed and rubbed his throat. "Call it the ultimate form of escapism."

"You really outdid yourself, Elliott. I'm surprised you even got him to agree to this."

"To be honest, I didn't expect him to go for it. He didn't say anything when I asked, then showed me this room two weeks later." He paused, coughed again. Sheepishly, he said, "My throat must be dry. Could use something to drink. You?"

She nodded and followed him over to the cooler. Aside from the water bottles, she was amazed to see a platter of chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne. "Kudos on making this the ultimate island getaway. I didn't think we even had a bottle of this," she said, pointing to the wine.

He hesitated after taking a gulp of water. "That's something else Wesker provided. His way of saying sorry for last night… Thought it would be a perfect addition for this scenario."

She resisted the urge to make a sarcastic comment about Wesker. "What matters is that the idea was all yours. Thank you for this, Elliott. I couldn't have asked for anything more."

"Wouldn't be so quick to say that. There's some more suitable beachwear for you inside the tent. Might as well make the most of it."

She drew her lower lip between her teeth and gave him a giddy smile. "When you put it that way…" She leaned in to kiss him. "I'll be right back."

It didn't take her long to change into a bright pink halter top and white bikini bottom with a white beach wrap. She closed her eyes and sighed when she exited the tent, relishing the heat on her skin and the hot sand that crept between her toes. This simulation was so realistic, it was easy to pretend they were indeed enjoying a day by the ocean. She was soon seated on one of the lounge chairs facing him, smiling as he poured the Champagne into separate glasses.

He toasted, "To the most remarkable girl I know, and to the day when we get to do this for real… Happy birthday, Claire."

They clinked glasses and each took a sip. When Elliott abruptly tilted his glass too much, she chuckled when the liquid spilled down the front of his shirt. He coughed and turned red.

"Smooth move, Romeo," she joked. "I'm tempted to think you may already be toasted."

He grinned, but only for an instant. He cupped a hand in front of his mouth when another cough came. And then another.

Her smile faded when he suddenly doubled over, nearly dropping his glass as a string of hacking coughs overtook him. "Elliott?" she asked as she set her drink down.

He was able to stop long enough to say, "It's fine. I just need…" That was all he was able to get out before it started up again and sounded even more horrible. He tried to stand in the middle of the coughing fit only to collapse; he looked like he lost consciousness before he even hit the floor.

Claire dropped to her knees and pushed the chair out of the way as she leaned over him and called his name in alarm. The fact he appeared to have broke out in a sweat and his skin felt chilled in spite of the warm atmosphere terrified her.

In a blind panic, she turned, ran for the door and leaned out, and screamed for anyone who might be listening. "Help! Oh, God, please help!"

(Author's Notes - Dun dun dun! Aren't I just mean?

Sorry for the cliffhanger, but will try to have the next chapter out as quick as possible. And I hope that this installment answers a few questions on what might have occurred between this point and the events in the Prologue.

Rest assured that I do have the majority of the ending figured out, and there are still a number of twists ahead. One thing that is up in the air is Elliott's fate - Is he a character you'd want to see live?

Please be sure to leave me a review to tell what you think. And be on the lookout for another chapter or two in the coming weeks.

Happy New Year, all!)