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Epilogue

A few weeks later

After finally being able to get home, the only thing on Helena's mind now was telling her sister she'd be gone for quite a while. How she'd break it to her was not something she had planned, and giving things easy to people was just not her thing.

"Hey," Leon snapped her from her thoughts as the car pulled around the corner.

She looked up from gazing down at her hands on her lap.

"Hmm?" she now turned to him.

"How's it feel to be back home safe and sound?" he asked her.

"Just knowing that I can finally come home to Deborah's smiling face again is all I really need."

"You sound like you're close."

Helena shook her head. "Things haven't exactly been good between us, until as of late."

"Oh," he thought surprised.

"My sister was stuck in an abusive relationship," she went on to explain to him, getting a shake of the head from Leon. "I didn't find out until it was too late, when she had to be hospitalised. He'd been beating her and I didn't even know it."

"Speaking out would have been the best thing for your sister, but I can understand if you two weren't exactly on good terms with each other."

Helena shrugged. "I should have seen it," she sighed. "Deborah was always so bubbly and easy-going at college, but then she just started to quieten down and her friends..."

"Something's aren't exactly noticeable unless the other helps in return," he reminded her.

"I know," she frowned. "Every since that day, I just can't..."

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked, wondering if she'd be better off getting it out of her system.

She gave a nod. "I got this feeling something wasn't right that night. I was just driving home and thought I'd go see her, I never expected to see her in the state she was in." She took a breath then got down into it. "I pulled up at the apartment block and headed for her apartment. I rang the bell, knocked on the door a few times but there was no answer. The TV was blaring, but I made out some noise along with it. I forced myself in there and headed for the living room."

She took a small pause before continuing on again.

"That's where I found them. He was on top of her beating her bloody. I wasted no time kicking him off her and that's when he turned on me," she sighed again. "We got into a fight and I just remember being in such a rage that I kept hitting him until my knuckles bled. He fought me off and then I just shot him."

"You saved your sister," he now looked to her. "Anyone in your place would have done the same."

She gave a nod. "I suppose."

"Hey, Hunnigan's here." He now smiled as he turned to look out the window as the car slowed down to pull up behind another of their own cars in front.

The pair now climbed out as one of the men in black suits opened the door for them. Leon walked over to Hunnigan to now strike up a conversation with her, while Helena made her way over to Deborah.

"Helena!" Deborah flung herself at her older sister.

She was wearing completely different clothes to what she would usually wear, but that would have been because they'd kept her for check-ups and such.

"Deborah," Helena just fell into her as she wrapped her arms around her tightly, with her head restring on her shoulder.

"I knew you come for me," Deborah sighed happily against her. "I just knew you would."

"You know I'd never let anything happen to you," she smiled as she pulled away, running her hand through her sisters hair as realisation soon set in. "What's with the new look?"

"I don't know," Deborah shrugged, now slipping her fingers down a few strands of her hair as she looked at it. "I just started to notice blonde streaks were forming.

Helena couldn't help but smile at realising it may have had something to do with the cure Carla had given her.

"Oh, wait." Deborah now thought on. "They did say I have a bit of someone else's DNA mixed in with mine now. So that could be why, I suppose."

"Carla," Helena shook her head with a smile.

"Carla?" Deborah asked puzzled.

"The woman that cured you," Helena reminded her.

"Oh, right," Deborah thought. "Wait, wasn't she dark haired though just like her twin?"

"She was originally blonde and... I'll fill you in on the rest later."

"Alright," Deborah smiled at her.

Helena knew she'd have to burst her bubble soon enough as she looked back to Hunnigan and Leon still chatting away.

"Deborah," she now decided was the best time to tell her. "I'm not going to be around for a while. I need you to..."

"What are you talking about?" her sister now frowned.

"I've done something I can't..."

"Helena, stop." Deborah now sighed. "I know everything."

Helena looked up at her now.

"They told me," she nodded over at the men. "They told me everything and that you..."

"I know," Helena sighed.

"No," Deborah stopped her again as she waved Hunnigan over.

Leon followed her over as well.

"Tell her," Deborah looked to Hunnigan.

"What's going on?" Helena asked puzzled. "Shouldn't you be taking me in?"

Hunnigan shook her head as Leon stepped in front of Helena to take one of her hands to place a gun into it.

"But I assisted in the attack!" she looked to him in shock surprise.

Leon now stepped aside to allow Hunnigan to go on to explain.

"The investigating commission have reviewed the evidence, and feel it unjust to hold you liable for Simmons' crimes. They will also not be disclosing their findings to the public."

"But..." Helena shook her head in disbelief before Deborah took her free hand to squeeze reassuringly.

"The President would have done the same," Leon smiled at her.

"I.." she was speechless.

"The same applies to Carla, though she did some terrible things the government have allowed her freedom as soon as she's helped with the cure."

"Will I be able to see her?" Helena now asked.

"As it stands at the moment she isn't really allowed any visitors, but I should be able to pull a few strings for you."

"Thank you," Helena smiled gratefully.

Hunnigan gave a nod, turned to Leon then to Helena again.

"We'll let you both get settled in before we see you back at Headquarters."

Helena now gave a nod as she then squeezed Deborah's hand back reassuringly.

"Leon," she called out to him as he turned to walk off.

He stopped to look back at her as she was now pulling out a compact make-up mirror, which he remembered giving to Helena on one of the quad tower roofs.

"Here," she threw it to him. "For the next time you see her."

Leon looked down at the mirror in his hand and shook his head with a smile. "Women," he sighed as he followed Hunnigan on again.

"Come on, let's get you inside." Helena turned to her sister as she was now resting upon her.

xXx

Recovery had been quite brutal for Piers as he now had to deal with only having one arm.

"I can't!" Piers snapped.

"Yes, you can!" Chris glared at him.

Claire just sighed as she watched the pair. Chris was a little abrupt, but at least his abruptness was helping to push the younger man. Finn had also wanted to give his encouragement, but really didn't want to get in the way.

"It's hopeless!" Piers groaned.

"Get used to it!" Chris shouted at him.

"I can't!" Piers snapped back in annoyance before calming as Chris grabbed him by the back of the head to bring him into a hug.

"We'll get through this," he reassured him. "We could maybe even get Carla to work on something to grow your arm back."

"What, like the Lizard?" Piers frowned as Chris let him go. "No thanks, Captain!"

Chris just chuckled until seeing Claire's face.

"Oh, I forgot." He mentally kicked himself.

She shook her head, pushing the thoughts of Steve out of her mind. Piers looked to Claire and Chris before turning to Finn.

"You got anything to add, rookie?" he asked, inviting him to join them.

"Yes, sir." Finn nodded with a smile as he headed over to join them.

Claire was rather proud of her brother as she watched him rubbing his fist over Finn's head, the three all laughing and joking together. It was just like one big happy family, and to top it off Jill, Sherry and Barry had all now joined.

"How's everything progressing?" Jill now asked as soon as she stepped into the room.

"Things seem to be going back to normal," Claire smiled as she watched Chris now break out a football for them to kick around.

"Who's up for some soccer?" he asked.

"Count me in, Captain!"

"Me as well!"

"Everyone outside," he gestured to the men, who all followed him out.

Jill was now following him on as well, warning Chris about pushing Piers too far too soon. Claire, Sherry and Barry also followed on to watch.

"I heard from Chris, you and Jake..."

"It isn't like that," Sherry frowned.

"So, he's still a thug for hire then?" she now asked before getting a slap on the arm. "Ow!"

"Any of you wanna join?" Chris called out to them. "Claire?"

She shook her head as Jill now walked over to stand next to her.

"Sherry?" he asked.

"No, I'm fine."

"Barry?"

"I'm in," Barry smiled as he headed over.

"How about you?" he now asked.

Sherry and Claire turned to look to see who he was now taking to.

"Jake?" Sherry thought surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Thought we could settle a difference," he said as he looked to Chris while taking off his coat.

Chris looked to him and he looked back.

"Jake," Sherry frowned before he now gestured for the ball.

Chris smiled and threw it to him.

"Ready to get your ass kicked, Redfield?" Jake now asked as he walked over to him.

Sherry rolled her eyes while Claire shook her head.

"Men," the pair sighed as Jill gave a chuckle.

xXx

Yet another week had now passed and Leon was now enjoying a day off, he'd chosen today as the day to meet up with Claire again. The pair now catching up on events after their dreaded time in Raccoon City.

"Well this is a change," Claire smiled as she sat opposite him at one of the outside tables to the small cafe. "I was hoping we could finally meet under different circumstances."

"What better way than to relax with a nice warm coffee," he shrugged lightly.

Claire nodded as she took a sip. "So anything happen between you two?"

"Ada?" he asked as she nodded. "No."

Claire gave a frown. "I spent six months with her."

Leon nearly spat out his coffee. Six months, he couldn't even get six hours with the woman let alone six months.

"Did she, uh, say anything?" he asked casually.

"We had some pretty decent conversations, when she was around that was."

Leon couldn't help but smile now.

"She told me she had a boyfriend named John," she turned to him for acknowledgement.

"Yeah, she was looking for him back in Raccoon City."

Wow, so that was true about the boyfriend thing. Surprising.

"I also asked for her real name," Claire now said as she picked her coffee back up.

"Real name?" he asked.

"Come on, you don't think she'd go around saying it to everyone do you?"

"Well did she tell you?"

Claire didn't respond to that, she simply raised her cup to her lips and took a good drink.

"Claire!" he frowned.

She gestured with her head for him to turn around. He spun in his seat, desperately searching for whatever it was Claire had seen.

"Is that.." he now stood.

"Go get her tiger," she mocked roared.

"I'll be right back," he turned back to her before turning to head off.

Claire shook her head, he wouldn't. Leon was now quickly rushing across the road, getting a honk in return what with the traffic showing no signs of slowing.

"Ada?" he now looked to her as she stood with her arms crossed. "I almost didn't recognise you."

She gave a smirk in return. "Red is my work colour," she informed him.

He shook his head, damn there was so much he really didn't know about the woman.

"Wait, so that means?"

She turned as Claire now joined them.

"Hey," she waved.

Ada gave her a smile in response.

"I really enjoyed the coffee, Leon. But I've got to get back..."

"I thought we were catching up?" he now turned to her, a little confused as Claire and Ada both shared a look. "You planned this?"

"Of course...not!" the pair answered in unison, it was pretty obvious who the one denying it was.

Leon shook his head as he then reached into his pocket. "I think this belongs to you."

She took it from him to slip into her handbag.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone. I look forward to our next catch up session." Claire now smiled as a car stopped to pick her up.

"Everything sorted?" Jill asked as Claire opened the car door before climbing in.

Claire looked back at the pair with a smile. "I'd say so."

"You were in on this too?" he frowned.

Jill could only smile as she flicked on the indicator to then pull out onto the busy road.

"Come on," Ada beckoned. "I know someplace we can..."

Leon grabbed her wrist, getting a look in return.

"This is my treat," he told her. "I'm taking you to.."

"And I say..."

"Don't fight me on this, Ada!"

She gave him a smile that made him weak at the knees.

"Alright, show me your fancy place."

"You won't be disappointed, I promise you." He smiled as she now slipped her hand down into his, her fingers intertwining with his now as he now held her hand.

Leon looked to her with a warm smile, maybe this was the start of something wonderful?

Sorry evo but I'm strictly a Leon/Ada shipper :) I never found Leon/Claire to be a thing as there was clearly nothing there between them in the original. Leon loves his Ada, so I ship it.