New Horizons, II
By: Hotaru
Notes: Sorry about the story disappearing ^_^() I guess I shoulda read the reviews more thoroughly!
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"Ma'me, it's important if you tell us if there was penetration." A nurse said impatiently as Claire stared at the wall. "Yes." Claire said finally. "Did he ejaculate?" The nurse asked. Claire swung her head up and snapped, "No!"
"And you were sexually involved with your attacker prior to the incident?" The nurse continued.
With a sigh, Claire nodded. "Just so you're aware, the police may try to make you admit that this isn't as serious as you say it is. In cases like these, often times couples just get into arguments and lie to get the other person in trouble." The nurse advised.
"No, I could tell you the truth and I am! Just..just leave me alone now." Claire said suddenly, crossing her arms tightly. "Ms. Redfield, we need to do a rape kit, and also it will improve the chances of Mr. Burnside being charged." The nurse said.
Claire wiped the tears that were forming from her eyes and said, "Well, ask Leon. He'll tell you what he saw. And if that's not enough to convict Steve's sorry ass, then I'll just get custody of my daughter and move as far away from him as I can." The nurse finally left her alone. Crying slightly, Claire hid her face in her pillow. There was a slight knock on the door. "Go away." Claire said bluntly.
"Claire, it's me." Leon said softly. "Oh…come in..." Claire said, choking slightly. Leon opened the door and his face fell when he saw Claire there, quivering on the bed. "Hey." Claire said, laughing slightly, grabbing a tissue. "Hey…how are you feeling?" Leon asked, sitting on the bed. "Like a dope. I don't want to imagine what would have happened if you hadn't shown up…thank you so much Leon…" Claire replied.
Leon held Claire's hands and smiled. "I got worried when I called you back. I didn't know why you decided to go back home, but I don't think Steve would have been happy to see you…well, you know what I mean.." he said.
"I keep thinking he's going to waltz in here and take me home. Like everything was okay." Claire admitted, holding the tissue tightly. "He's in jail, right now. But he keeps saying that you were seducing him and made the whole thing up. He's saying what I saw was part of your kinky game." Leon said, hating Steve more with every word he said.
"Katie…where is she?" Claire asked suddenly. "She's in the hospital day care center upstairs. They're ready to release you, whenever you're ready. But they still want you to answer some questions, and to do a rape..kit thing as soon as possible." Leon replied. Claire sighed and ran her hand through her bangs. "I..I don't like it here. Can you just take me home?" Claire asked tearfully.
With a small nod, Leon wiped the tears from Claire's face. "I won't let him hurt you anymore. You'll be safe again, okay?" He said reassuringly. Claire sighed deeply and laid her head back on her pillow. "I'm sorry I'm not the same person I used to be." She apologized.
"What do you mean?" Leon asked, perturbed.
"Back then, in Raccoon…I felt like I could take anything on. Like no monster could defeat me. And now…hah, look at me. My boyfriend's a freaking wife-beater and I stayed with him because I believed him when he said he loved me." Claire explained.
"Claire…I understand how you feel, honest. After the whole ordeal in Raccoon City, I kept my feelings hidden and it ate me from the inside out. It wasn't until I had to go to therapy that I realized that what happened there changed my life. It's hard to really have the same mentality when something like that happens to you."
"But I still feel like such a wimp. Had he been a zombie, I would have blown his brains out, but he's human and somewhere in there are feelings. I didn't want to hurt him by leaving him because I felt that he really loved me." Claire replied.
"Human emotions are really fucked up sometimes, Claire. Your heart leads you one way, but your brain wants to go the other. And bad stuff can happen when you choose one over the other." Leon said preachfully.
Claire sighed again and put her hand on her forehead. "Yeah, I know. I wanted what was best for Katie, even though it was hurting me so much. If only Steve had been like you.." She began, before stopping suddenly. Leon was taken aback slightly. "..If Steve was more like anyone who cared about other people, things would have been different. It doesn't have anything to do with me, really." He said slowly.
"I can't help but feel that I made a mistake by being with him in the first place, Leon. I love Katie to death, but it pains me to think that her father is a drunken-bastard…and a rapist." Claire said woefully. Leon put a comforting hand on Claire's shoulder. "We all make mistakes. And I'm sure that there's something about this guy that made you love him. The Claire I know isn't stupid. I'll leave so you can get dressed and whatnot. I'll be right outside, ok?" He said.
Claire nodded and climbed out of bed as Leon exited the room. He stood outside of the room protectively when a group of men walked over and tried to open the door. Leon put his hand in front of the door handle and said, "Can I help you?" One of the men eyed Leon and said, "We need to see Claire."
"She's changing and doesn't want any company right now." Leon replied.
"Then why are you here?" The same man asked sarcastically.
"I'll let Claire know you stopped by..your name?"
"…Never mind. We'll come back later, stiff."
The group walked away slowly, as Claire opened the door. "Wait a sec.." Leon said, pulling the door shut. The group turned around at the noise, and Leon played innocent. After a moment or two, they continued on their way. Once Leon felt they were gone, he knocked on the door. Claire poked her head out and asked, "What was that all about?"
"I don't know. There was a group of guys here to see you. They wouldn't tell me who they were or why they wanted to see you so I told them you didn't want company." Leon explained. Claire nodded her head. "I could recognize that guy's voice. He's one of Steve's drinking buddy's. Thanks for not letting them in." she said. Leon smiled warmly and put his arm around Claire's shoulder. "Don't worry, I wouldn't let anything happen to you." He said comfortingly.
Claire wasn't comfortable being so close to a man after what had just happened, so she slid out from under Leon's arm and smiled slightly. "Oh, sorry. I uh..didn't realize." Leon said sheepishly. "Don't worry about it. I'm just..not myself right now." Claire replied as they headed down the hall. "So where do you live?" Claire asked as they started to go up to the hospital's day care center.
"Just some hole in the wall. You'll like it, or at least I hope you will. Just a modest apartment really." Leon replied nervously.
"I'm sure it'll be great. My house used to be so great…until Steve moved in." Claire said, suddenly not feeling like talking.
"Don't worry about it Claire. He's gone now. I told you I'll protect you." Leon repeated as he knocked on the door.
A second later a woman opened it and asked, "Hello, who are you here to pick up?" Claire looked around the room and found Katie sitting near the corner playing with blocks. "There's my baby!" She announced, walking over to pick up her daughter. "I'm Claire Redfield, Katie's mother." She said, walking back over to the woman. "Alright, just sign here indicating that you picked her up. Katie's such a good little girl. She didn't make a peep the whole time!" The woman said, playing with Katie's hands.
Claire smiled and said, "Thank you very much. Have a nice day." The woman waved to Katie and smiled at Leon as they walked out of the room. "She's beautiful Claire." Leon stated. Claire smiled and replied, "Thanks. I just hope she doesn't take after Steve too much." Leon nodded and they walked back to the elevator. "So how old is she?" he asked as they headed down. "Nearly a year and a half." Claire replied, still looking at Katie.
"Ah…I don't have a crib or anything at my place…should we stop at yours to get some of her things?" Leon asked.
"I…don't really feel up to going back there any time soon. I wouldn't want to impose upon you, but you can go if it's not too much trouble." Claire answered.
"Yeah, sure, that'd be fine. Just make up a list of what you need, and where I can find it. I can go once you two are settled." Leon said quickly.
He didn't want Claire to ever think that he wasn't more than willing to help out. After all, he had had a crush on her since the first day they met. "Thanks…really, Leon. Thanks a lot. I..don't really have any friends around here. I used to know tons of people but well…you can guess how he felt about that." Claire replied. Leon nodded understandingly as they arrived at his car.
"No car seat either." He said sheepishly. "That's alright, I can just hold her in my lap. We've done that before, haven't we?" Claire replied, turning her conversation towards Katie. The little girl smiled up at her mother and clapped her hands. "Aw, she's such a sweet kid." Leon remarked, heading home. Claire leaned her head against the headrest and nodded. "Thank God for that.." she said softly.
They remained quiet until they arrived at Leon's home. It had started to rain on the ride home, so Leon had to fish around in the trunk looking for an umbrella. Finding it underneath a blanket and some windshield wiper fluid, he opened it up and opened the passenger side door. "Thanks." Claire said, climbing out of the car. Leon nodded and closed the door behind her and walked towards the building he lived in. Once they were inside, he closed the umbrella and shook the rain off of it.
"I always wanted a nice big house to live in, but I can't really afford it. Besides, people don't usually buy houses until they get married anyway." Leon said, unlocking the first door that led into the lobby of the building where the mailboxes were. "Are you looking to get married?" Claire asked innocently. Leon shrugged. "I guess so. I mean, I'd have to find someone who likes me first." He replied, checking his mailbox.
Claire nodded weakly and followed him to the elevator. "Are you hungry at all? I haven't gone food shopping lately.." Leon said, as they stepped into his apartment. "What? Oh, sort of. I just want to be alone for awhile, so you can go with out me." Claire replied. Leon nodded and showed Claire the 'guest room'. It was an empty room with a bed and a dresser that Leon wanted to fix up for the longest time.
"I'm sorry it's so bland, but I haven't been motivated to really fix it up, you know?" Leon said. Claire nodded and put Katie on the bed. "Thanks Leon. I'll be fine here." She said, hoping he'd catch a hint and leave her alone. "Okay then. I'll be back in a little while. If anyone stops by, which I doubt they will, just don't answer the door. Feel better Claire." Leon replied, looking at the solemn woman before closing the door.
He had a feeling that something just wasn't right. Claire seemed very depressed, more so than he felt she'd be after what had happened. /This shit has probably been going on for a long time. She just couldn't tell anyone 'cause she had nowhere to go./ Leon thought, as he headed out to the car. He most certainly didn't want to push it with getting Claire to talk, but it usually helps when people do. The Claire he knew was always so vibrant and cheerful.
Now, she just sort of stared off into space, while wringing her hands together or something. She needed help.
TBC
