New Horizons, XIX
By: Hotaru

Warnings: Steve bashing, strong language, RE: Code Veronica spoilers

~^~

Chris sat in the living room, staring at the television. It wasn't on, he was just staring at the warped reflection. Tilting his head back he gulped down the rest of his soda, his nose becoming tickled slightly. Standing up, he tossed his soda can into the garbage, and went into Katie's room. He stood over his niece, who looked incredibly bored, and sighed. She _was_ starting to look like Steve. Picking the small girl up, he went into the living room and turned on the t.v.

"Ooh, look! Hamtaro's on." Chris announced. Making sure no one was around, he sang the Ham-Ham song, while moving Katie's arms around. A little while later, Leon journeyed back downstairs. "Hey. How'd it go?" Chris asked, turning the volume on the t.v. down.
"Not too well. She wants to put Katie up for adoption." Leon said solemnly.
"She what!?"
"I know...she resents Katie for being a 'product' of her and Steve. She said something about her being in danger, since Steve's gonna be out of prison soon. But something tells me that she just doesn't want to deal with any aspect of Steve at all."
"Wow...did you try to change her mind about it?"

Leon rubbed his eyes and sighed. "No. I didn't know what to say. What could I say?"
"I have no freaking idea. What do you think you should do?" Chris replied.
"Wh-I-But...why me? She's your sister."
"Leon, I'm not stupid, I know what's going on between you two. Don't you think a kid from another 'relationship', if we can even call it that, would interfere?"
"Are you insinuating that I'd tell her to do it for myself?"
"No! I'm just saying...it would be easier, right?"
"Well, yeah. But I'm not too eager about this. Maybe you should talk to her."

Chris pulled Katie off his lap and stretched. "Yeah...then it's your responsibility to sing the Ham-Ham song."
"The what?" Leon questioned, tilting his head forward.
"The ending song, just sing it. It's like, two lines long. She likes it." Leon shook his head, and Chris headed upstairs. The door to Claire's room was opened, so he stuck his head inside.

"Yo. What'cha doing?" Chris asked.
"Just looking over some old photos. Look at this one." Claire replied, holding up a picture of her while she was pregnant, flipping off who ever was holding the camera.* "And don't tell me that I was glowing."
"You look great, actually."
"Well, thanks, but you're lying to me. Don't feel obligated to lie."

Grinning, Chris sat next to his sister on the bed. There was a box full of pictures on Claire's lap, and she was currently going through them. "So what are you doing?" Chris asked finally.
"Oh, nothing really. I assume that Leon told you what we talked about." Chris nodded. "Well, I just felt like making a little scrap book. I've had all the supplies and things saved up since she was born, but I never had the time to actually do it."
"So you've...decided then?"
"Yeah. Are you mad?"

Chris put his arm around his sister's shoulder and sighed. "Well...I'm not mad, just frustrated. What ever...caused you to come up with this decision?" he asked.
"I don't know. Maybe it's just that...all this shit with Steve made me hate even the littlest thing that was related to him. And his daughter...I just don't...I'm not ready to be a good mother yet."
"Well, Claire, I think you're a year and a half too late on that decision."
"Don't chastize me, Christopher. I didn't want to have an abortion. But I couldn't really consult anyone, oh like maybe my family, because you, my only brother was off in some foreign country saving the world."
"So you have more pent up animosity towards me, huh?"

Claire shoved Chris off of her and sighed deeply. "No, Chris. I don't blame you for anything, except being a little...absent while all this was going on. But anyway, I made my decision and I'm gonna stick with it." She replied.
"Do you love her? Even a little bit?" Chris asked.
"Yeah. But I hate her at the same time."
"Maybe...Leon can pull some strings at work to find someone in the city who'll be willing to adopt Katie, so she isn't far."

Nodding, Claire buried her face in her pillow and asked to be left alone. Chris went back downstairs, where Leon was dully singing. "Ya, ya, ya, ya, ya ooh la, la, la. Ya, ya, ya, ya ooh...so how'd it go?" Leon said, jumping as Chris stood, laughing silently.
"She's made her decision." Chris reported.
"Oh. Well...you tried, at least."
"Yeah. There wasn't really any way to change her mind. She's determined."
"Mm."

So, the two soldiers trained to defend against an assortment of killers, monsters, psycho dogs, and mutated scientists...watched Hamtaro.

~^~

Chris sat in front of Claire's computer, and stared at the screen. The arrow was resting over the 'SEND' button for what seemed like an eternity. It was probably the most heartfelt, honest letter he had ever written. Concealed inside the e-mail was his declaration of love for Jill, his feelings...he had basically poured his heart out. Closing his eyes, he pressed the button.

'Your message has been sent. Return to Inbox?' The screen of death.

Grimacing, Chris smacked the mouse. "Dammit, I wasn't ready yet! You stupid...mouse!"

"Christopher Redfield, what the hell are you doing?"

Turning around, Chris smiled meekly at his sister. The room was dark, except for the light of the computer screen. Claire's hair was a mess, and she held her bathrobe tightly around her body. "I just sent the e-mail that will be the death of me to Jill."
"What?"
"It's a full fledged confession basically. And I can't un-mail it. It's there, sitting in her Inbox...itching to be opened. And when she reads it...God, what is she gonna say?"
"Chris, relax. This is Jill we're talking about! She's been in love with you forever! It'll take her breath away, and maybe she'll rush back here just to see you."

Claire turned the light on, and squinted at it's brightness. After shutting down the computer, Chris flopped onto the couch. "And since when are you up at three in the morning?" Claire asked, shuffling to sit on the arm rest by Chris' head.
"I couldn't sleep." Chris excused.
"Why? Cause you told Jill you love her?"
"Maybe, ok? Why do you have to do this?"
"Because I need a good laugh. You and Leon are sending me on this guilt trip about Katie, and everyone is so sullen."
"Sorry, Claire, but...whatever. Just let me go to sleep."
"Pull the rat out of your ass, Chris."
"Night."

~^~

The next morning, Leon took Claire and Katie over to the adoption agency to get things worked out. "You're sure about this?" Leon asked as they pulled into the drive. Claire nodded. "One-hundred percent?" Leon continued.
"Yes, Leon, I'm sure." Claire replied, un-buckling her seat-belt.
"I just want to make sure that a day from now or a week from now that you don't change your mind."
"I won't. I know when my mind's made up."

They headed inside, and filled out a bunch of forms before being brought to a room to talk with the supervisor. Leon and Claire remained silent, while Katie tried desperatly to reach the bowl of Hershey's kisses that were on the desk in front of them. A little while later, a woman walked into the room and sat behind the desk. "How can I help you, folks?" She asked.
"I'm Claire Redfield, and I'd like to give my daughter up for adoption." Claire replied.
"O...kay. Why would that be?" The woman asked slowly. Leon was about to answer, but Claire interjected.
"She's the product of rape, and I only took care of her for this long so she's get the appropriate attention and milk and all that." Leon blinked when Claire lied about attention.

They both knew that Katie remained alone, in her room for most of the day.

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry to hear that, Ms. Redfield. Have you filled out our adoption papers?" The woman asked.
"Yeah. We'd like her to stay within the city so that we can keep in contact with her over the years." Leon replied.
"Right, well, we'll have to check our databases for someone who's looking to adopt in the city. It may take awhile before she does get adopted but we'll do our best."
"So what do we do now?" Claire asked.
"We can take...I'm sorry, what is your daughter's name?" The woman questioned.
"Katie."
"Right, we'll take Katie to play with the other kids here, and we'll get her set up. Did you bring all of her belongings?"

Claire nodded. "They're still in the car. Should we bring them in now?" Leon asked.
"Yes, Mr...?"
"Kennedy."
"Mr. Kennedy. What relation are you to Ms. Redfield?" The woman asked, peering over her glasses.
"He's my boyfriend. Not the father." Claire answer. Leon coughed loudly, and excused it as 'air going down the wrong way'.
"Oh. Alright, bring in her things around the back through the fence and we'll bring them to her new room."

Claire and Leon stood, after handing Katie over to the woman who looked like a crow. "So I have a new title now." Leon remarked as they arrived at the car.
"Don't be immature about this, Leon. It's practically true, and she probably would have gotten all pissed if you were 'just a friend'." Claire replied.
"How you figure?"
"I don't know. I just did. Now, honey, let's bring these things inside."

Kissing Leon on the cheek, Claire headed inside. Blushing, Leon followed after her. Through the gate, up the steps through a narrow hallway and up a flight of stairs. The room was pretty cramped. There were a lot of cribs, and baby stuff all over the place. It smelled like baby powder. Walking to the opposite end of the room, they put Katie's stuff on the floor and watched her play with the other kids. She didn't really play with them though. She was content to chew on a rubber square while moving a plastic horse around on the floor.

"Alright, then. We're all set. We'll be sure to call you with any news." The Crow interrupted. Claire nodded, and as she followed Leon, she turned back to wave good-bye to her daughter. Katie looked up, the rubber square falling from her mouth. Her eyes began to water, and her face squished up before she began to cry. Claire stopped, and contemplated going back to console her. Leon held her shoulder. "You already made your decision." He said lowly. "This will only hurt the two of you more."
"But..she's crying for me." Claire whispered.

The Crow picked Katie up, and bounced her around, and hushed her, and dangled a mobile in front of her face. "Come on Claire." Leon said, pulling Claire towards the stairs. Waving one last time, Claire followed Leon outside.
"What did I just do?" She asked.
"You did the right thing. For both you and Katie." Leon replied, pulling Claire into a hug.
"Do you really believe that?"

Leon smiled warmly and wiped Claire's tears away with his thumb. Nodding, he lowered his head and placed his lips against Claire's gently. For only awhile, all the noises became mute, and it just seemed like it was the two of them in the middle of nowhere. Breaking the kiss, Claire buried her face into Leon's shoulder and gripped the back of his hair tightly. "You'll see her again, don't worry." Leon said, kissing Claire's head gently.

~^~

Chris was still sleeping on the couch when they got back. When the front door closed, he jerked awake. "What?" He asked, looking around.
"We're back, Chris. It's getting late, you should get up." Claire replied.
"What?"
"Get up, Chris."

Grumbling, Chris wiped his eyes and yawned. He shuffled upstairs to take a shower. "You hungry?" Leon asked.
"Sort of. Why?" Claire replied.
"I was thinking of making my famous BLT's."
"Famous?"
"In my house they were!"

Smiling slightly, Claire shrugged. Rummaging in the fridge, Leon pulled out a pack of bacon. "So what are the plans for today, if any?" He asked.
"Painting. And furniture moving." Claire replied.
"Where are you gonna move the furniture?"
"No where. It's just gonna be re-arranged. The bookshelf is gonna be moved over there." Claire said, pointing to the empty wall perpendicular to the t.v. "And the couches are gonna be moved back a little. I don't want anyone going blind by sitting two feet from the t.v."

Nodding, Leon put the bacon in the oven and sat across from Claire. "Why are you staring at me?" She asked.
"Cause." Leon replied with a grin. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"
"Just a little. You look like a psycho."
"Right. Well, you wanna paint while we wait?"
"Not really. I'm gonna be smelling paint while I eat, and it doesn't sound too apetizing."

Chris jogged down the stairs and practically flew over to the computer. "Chris? What's wrong?" Claire asked.
"Nothing. I'm just seeing if Jill replied yet." Chris answered.
"Replied to what?" Leon asked.
"Chris' confession of love." Claire said with a grin.
"Don't act as if I didn't know, Claire." Leon replied.

"You knew about his letter?" Claire exclaimed.
"No, just about him liking her. It's not a big secret you know." Leon replied.
"I wonder how Chris feels about you two blabbing about his secrets." Chris interrupted, speaking in third person.
"Sorry, big brother, but it's just hard not to. We have nothing to talk about anymore."
"Shh! She wrote back!" Chris practically screamed

Claire and Leon flocked over to the computer, as Chris tried to keep them from reading. "Guys! Come on, let me read it first and if it's not too bad, I'll let you guys read it too, okay?" He said, turning the monitor off.
"Oh fine." Claire said, giving up to go watch t.v.

"What's on?" Leon asked.
"Um...ooh! Butterflies are Free. I love this movie!" Claire answered.
"What?"
"It's good. And you get to see a young Goldie Hawn in her under-bits."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I knew you'd be interested in that."
"Hey, you pointed it out! I would have watched in for the sole reason that you said it was good."

Claire rolled her head to the side and shook her head at Leon's plastered on smile. "You are such a bad actor." She remarked.
"I do it for the fans." Leon replied, tossing his head back.
"What? What does that even mean?!"

The two shared a laugh before actually focusing on the movie. "Yo, Chris, can we read it yet?" Leon asked a little while later.
"Still reading." Chris replied.
"Jesus, how long is it?" Claire exclaimed.
"Shush."

TBC

I have no idea how an adoption agency is run, how things go, so...excuse anything that isn't "right". It seems a little rushed, I know, and I'm sorry. T_T

*There's a pic of my Grandma doing this, except she wasn't pregnant or anything. The expression on her face was pretty funny, so I just tossed some real-life aspect into my fic yet again.