Resident Evil Code Veronica Remake
~Prelude~
I do (not) want you to leave, cause I know you'll never come back…
Chris… There was nothing else that occupied her mind. She arrived to that city to find her brother, but she could not. "Vacations on Europe"… Impossible. There was no way Chris was going to leave her alone, without telling her anything, just to go chill in some utopic beach with a bunch of babes. He just wasn't like that… She couldn't bear it anymore. The intrigue had haunted her ever since she returned from that damned place. And still, not even a letter, not even a phone call. She tried reaching any of his companions, but neither Jill, nor Barry or Wesker were to be found. It just didn't feel right. The timing of it felt off. And as the days went by, that feeling of uncertainty became more and more overwhelming… Still she tried her best not to looked concerned. She always tried to put on a bright attitude. She didn't want them to be worried, no, she had to be strong for them.
As she was sitting on the couch, listening to the sound of the raindrops hitting the glass of the window, she looked at them. The Young man was sitting on the dining table. His hair was dark-brown and long. The bangs almost veiled his eyes. Even though he was wearing a red shirt and a pair of beige pants, he could still picture him in his blue uniform. She couldn't hear what he was saying due to being so immersed on her own thoughts, but by the look of it he was explaining something to the 12 year old that was sitting next to him. She had Golden hair pined up in a bun on the back of her head, holding it together with a red band. A notebook was opened in front of her.
Claire Redfield remembered how all of this came to pass. They wandered through the road for hours. The fiery bright of dawn sun became that of the dusk. They were always vigilant. Everytime they Heard the faintest crack of a dry leave or branch, they would check on it, gun in hand. Sherry helped making the trip more relieving. She always found something interesting to chat about. They slept between tall grass and soil, warming each other with their own bodies. That was the safest thing they could do. That way they weren't in the visión field of any threat, human or not.
They arrived to the closest town by the next morning, and went straight to the sheriff's office to let them now the situation. Soon the pólice interrogated them, but they thought it was safer to not disclose as many details. After all, Sherry had been implanted with G, and they were aware that the US army was after it. They couldn't bear the thought of Sherry being interrogated or experimented upon, so, eventually, they went home. At least that's what Claire told to Leon they should do. There was no place to return to for him. He planned to get installed in Raccoon City, so he didn't make any plans to be staying in some other place.
-Don't worry, Claire. It's alright. I will call a friend to spend a few nights with him, until I find a decent place.
-Are you sure, Leon? Why don't you come with us?
-No way. You have Sherry with you, I'm sure you girls will need some privacy. Besides I don't want to be a burden, after all this…
-Don't worry about it, Leon. You already did a ton for us. This is the least I can do. I'm sure that Sherry would also like that, right?
-Yes, please, a few days? –she held his hand.
Leon scratched the back of his head. He didn't know what to say. But there was no way he could deny anything to the Little girl's precious smile.
-Alright, but just a few days, I promise.
And now it was almost a month since they moved to Claire's apartment. After much insistance from the two girls, finally Leon decided to stay with them, but he would still refuse to share Claire's bedroom, choosing to sleep on the couch instead. By now Sherry was at school, and she was making a remarkable job at making new Friends. It wasn't easy after all she went through, but she was making progress. Leon, on the other hand, already had a job at the local pólice station, in the investigation department. He wanted to stay out of the action for a while. That would also help him find any other evidence he could on Umbrella… It was sort of an obsession… Could that be what happened to her brother? And as soon as he got something, he went to persecute Umbrella in their headquarters?
Claire Redfield sighed. She wanted to search for his brother. He was still out there, somewhere, and yet, at the same time, she had to be there for them, they were as much of a family as Chris was to her.
-Okay, do you have anything else? –Leon said.
-No, that's all the homework my teacher left me –Sherry replied.
-Alright. You did a great job.
-Can I go watch TV?
-Sure –Leon giggled.
And as soon as he said that, the Golden haired girl ran upstairs to her bedroom.
-How was it? –Claire asked.
Leon looked at her with his blue gaze.
-Really good… It even was hard for me to understand her math problems. She ended up explaining them to me. She's a really Smart girl.
-No wonder, after all her parents were geniuses.
-Yeah.
Claire bit her lip. She was unsure if she should share her intentions with Leon. Ever since they got home, her daily life had become sunny again. But the whole truth was a different one.
-Is something wrong? –Her happy mask had come off for a second, but he noticed.
She remained silent, but at the end she resolved she couldn't hold it any longer.
-There's something I need to tell you.
Leon blinked. Usually Claire was a joyful and bright person, so something had to have happened that she was this serious.
-What's wrong?
-It's about my brother.
-Did he contact you?
-No... but, I think I may have a lead to him.
-What do you mean?
-You know, when I was searching the STARS office, I found a note written by him. It mentioned something like going on vacation to Europe… It's not much, but it's something.
-I see, so what are you planning to do?
-I think I may go there.
-What? To Europe?... Sorry, I'm not trying to be pesimistic, but Europe is one big place. If he's there, how are you planning to find him?
-I have a pretty good idea where to start.
-And where's that?
-At the Umbrella Paris HQ.
-What?! Claire… Are you kidding? That's not safe. We're both survivors to the Raccoon City incident, and Sherry is the daughter of two of their top scientists. They're probably looking for us at this very moment.
-I know, but I need to do this. I'm pretty sure Chris found out about Umbrella's involvement in all of this.
-No, Claire, listen, you can't leave. Sherry needs you.
-Leon, he is my brother!
Claire almost never yelled. But it was necessary. She had to make him understand the urgency of the situation.
-I don't want you to leave!
Claire stood there, paralyzed. Leon started tearing up. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't. He couldn't picture her leaving. He couldn't handle the possibility of her not returning. He didn't want to lose her too. He already lost one woman in red, he didn't want to lose another one. After all they went through, after all they've been together there was a bond that tied the three of them. No, one couldn't be without the other. They were bound by destiny.
-Leon…
-Please don't go –Leon muttered.
Claire couldn't reply. She wished she could do as the boy said. She didn't want him to be sad. But there was nothing she could do… Leon understood that.
-At least let me go with you. I'm sure that together we can find Chris.
-No, you need to stay here, with Sherry. She needs you, okay? I promise I'll come back.
Then, Claire felt Leon embrace her. It was so sudden that she was frozen, and didn't move at all. It was almost as if he was tryig to engrave in his memory the texture of her skin, her aroma, to never ever forget it. She could hear a Little sob. She embraced his waist gently. "Please don't be sad, don't make this harder for me" she thought.
-I don't want you to go to that place, cause I fear you might never come back.
She held him tight. She didn't want to forget him either, if this was the last time she was going to feel him, to hear him, then she had to make sure that she could still feel him as real as he was in that moment.