In the end, it doesn't even matter

This is more of a song fanfiction. It has about five parts, although sorry for grammar/spelling mistakes, I transformed format, and typed it from my printed copy so it might be a bit strange. Other then that, thank you to anyone who reads, and reviews.

'It starts with one

One thing I don't know why

It doesn't even matter how hard you try

Keep that in mind I designed this rhyme

To explain in due time

All I know

Time is a valuable thing

Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings

Watch it count down to the end of the day

The clock ticks life away

It's so unreal

Didn't look out below

Watch the time go right out the window

Trying to hold on but didn't even know

Wasted it all just to

Watch you go

I kept everything inside and even though I tried it all fell apart

What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I tried'

Linkin Park, In the end


Tossing another shirt into the trunk, she stuffed as much as it would allow. Claire was preparing for a trip. Where? She didn't know, where ever the road takes her.

Why? She was leaving because her brother left her again, she was alone now anyway.

What was she running from? Herself.

Claire glanced around the empty room. She was only bringing one suitcase, so she'd have to leave a lot of this behind. Still, running away was about getting as far away from this life you could. One the cleaned out, and searched through dresser, a picture lay facing toward the sky. She grabbed it, and for a second, stared at the faces. Leon, her, and Sherry smiling widely, on the back it had a date imprinted. Chris wasn't there with them then either. Claire had once wondered if he'd already met Leon, but surly doubted it.

It wasn't because Chris that Claire was running away alone. First off, she had a new job as a spy for Iris Incorporated. She came across them at her last time in Antarctica.

Second, Antarctica was the second reason. There was a certain red head that she left behind there. Or, he left her behind. What it seemed Steve Burnside died, but now Claire couldn't even be sure.

She really liked him however, and couldn't help but avoid that pain of guilt. Survivors guilt is what its normally called. They promised to get out together, however, I'm alive, your dead, there's nothing we can do, but you'll haunt my dreams forever.

Nightmares, Claire didn't have enough of them. Every night it would be something. About the monster William, Steve dying, the freaky Alexia Ashford. Claire wasn't a normal 19 year old, but how she wished that sometimes she could be. Her brother often told her that we shouldn't give up, and fight. She would, but still suffered the same loss, and was alive to suffer from it.

Claire was very pessimistic about this kind of thing. Not even when she stepped into that monster ridden town Raccoon city she still was running away. From the life she had before. Then one day her friend, April Vega had found a newspaper from Raccoon city. It contained information about the outbreak in the Spencer estate, and her brother. It was then she realized maybe she did have family that'd actually care for her, be there for her. Sure, in time of need, but after that, they seem to disappear from their life.

Claire had friends back at collage. Francisca Akagi, April Vega, Derrick Sanders. Still, after she left from collage, they would call everyday, then slowly the calls got less, and less frequent. Then maybe one word out a year.

After that, the calls just stopped coming. Claire noticed, but no one else seemed to. Everyone else got on with their lives without her.

Leon, and Sherry were here for her. They were a big help, but Leon never liked her, or at least she thought. Sherry was nice, but still to young for her to completely relate. Claire was one-of-a-kind, causing her to be slight lonely in the world.

Claire never thought about suicide, seemed to cowardly.

Just wanted to escape it all. Claire swung the suit case bag around her shoulder, and hoped the darkness would hide her. Stuffing the keys into her pocket, with one last glance at the picture put her two hands at the top of it. Squinting like this would hurt, tore it in two, leaving it to fly down on the ground. Claire next went over to the desk, and pulled out a sheet of paper, and pen.

'Dear Sherry,

I know you'll be the first one hoping into my room in the morning. Your the only one that does. Still, I wouldn't be home. Or, here anyway. I'm going away, not like on a trip, I'm not coming back. Sherry, I'm sorry, its not because of you. To many memories haunt me here. Still, your welcome to keep anything you find of use here. I also left you something on the dresser. Survival kit, I'd think you should have it. Don't have to tough it out like I did.....and don't make the same mistake I did.

Love,

Claire'

Claire reread the note, pity in her eyes. How she wanted to write one to Leon, and Chris. Still, they wouldn't understand the point of running away. Besides, no one would find her where she's going. Claire dropped the note on the floor next to the picture. Remembering the letter,

'To many memories haunt me here.' Made her laugh a bit. She'd remember Alexia when she caught them. Going to inject Steve with the virus.

"The truth is so scary, it will haunt your dreams forever.' She didn't know the truth though. Going over to the files, and pictures she had stacked up on her desk, she knocked off. Then withdrawing her match, set the garbage aflame, and waited until it was out. Then turned to the door. The hall was silent. The light from Leon's room was shinning brightly. The door was slightly opened, and she could see his figure. She smiled lightly, then proceeded down the stairs. Downstairs was empty, only light shinning in from the windows.

Going to the door, she tried the knob. Cold, the wind was blowing rapidly tonight, but she had better things to think about.

Just opening it, a voice stopped her.

"Leaving?" Questioned the voice.

Claire froze, and tried to identify the voice. It sounded like a grown women, but young still.

Claire flipped around to see Sherry standing in the shadows. She was shocked at first, but said nothing.

Sherry brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"I thought so." She said not needed Claire to answer.

Claire narrowed her eyes, slightly, but just listened as Sherry continued.

"It didn't strike me that you'd just leave us Claire."

Claire shifted uncomfortably switching the weight of the bag to the other shoulder.

"Still, my mom had ran away, changed her name and all. It gets the best of us I suppose. I still didn't think you'd leave your brother the way you did."

She said.

Claire thought for a moment.

"Sherry, what are you going at?" Claire didn't except such a reaction as the next.

Sherry leaped forward from the spot she was in. Pulling a bag behind her.

"Claire let me come!" Claire was shocked at first, but Sherry cut her off again.

"I don't want to be remembered as the Birkin girl, daughter to the monster. I don't want to have to live a life without parents, or at least a friend I could call a friend. Please Claire let me go, I don't want to stay here. I don't want to be left behind."

Claire paused. Left behind, she was left behind and that was why she was leaving. Everything in her mind told her not to, but her voice said 'yes'.

Sherry jumped in place.

"I already have anything." She glanced toward the stairs at Leon's room where the T.V. just boomed. "Please, we have to do something first."

Without a question, Claire nodded her head, and followed Sherry upstairs.