CHAPTER 7
You Know
"You got her pregnant didn't you ya bastard?!" Adam screamed into the payphone. "You sick son-of-a-bitch, I'm turning us both in to the authorities. I don't care what they do to me, you have to pay."
"Please Mr. Skampa," Alfred Ashford replied calmly "We both know that you're not going to turn anyone in."
"Like hell I'm not, were both going to rot in prison where we both belong."
"Mr. Skampa you knew something of this caliber was coming all along. You knew when you accepted your first payment. Imagine what the others are going to think when they discover that it was you that betrayed them. What your long time friend Leon would think, what would Claire Redfield think? So don't even bother threatening me with weak babble."
Ashford's words left a bitter taste in Adam's mouth; he wasn't able to say anything. He truly did despise Alfred Ashford, but no where near as much as he despised himself.
"You should not worry," Alfred continued "No harm shall come to Claire Redfield, that is if you fulfill one last task for me."
"I'm not going to run your evil agenda any longer," Adam snapped "You can find someone else."
"What if I say this last task will be worth two million dollars to you?"
"Fuck you Ashford!"
"What if I say that I've already deposited half of the money into your account?"
This time Adam didn't say anything.
When Claire was cleared to leave the hospital she immediately just wanted to go home, not just to their rented place back in Cairo, but back to their home in the states, back to Seattle, back to a place where she felt comfortable. For this Chris was all too happy to oblige.
The second that Claire fainted everyone's priorities changed, no one cared about the warehouse that they had to leave, no one cared about what Umbrella might be up to next. It was like the rest of the world vanished in the midst of their worry for Claire. Chris was sure he felt this above all the others.
From the hospital they brought Claire back to the house so the others could pack. Reaching the house Claire immediately hopped out of the van and went straight to her room, shutting her door firmly in her wake. It was at this time that a disturbing thought hit Chris, one he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of before.
If Claire was pregnant then that would mean she would have...putting two and two together one name suddenly popped into Chris' head. Leon Kennedy.
Leon was just a few feet away staring at Claire's shut door blankly. A wave of angry suddenly hit Chris like a ton of bricks, with no trace of self control he attacked.
"I have every right to kill you right now Kennedy!" he shouted, shoving the unbalanced and shocked Leon to the ground. "You sad son-of-a- bitch got my sister pregnant!"
Remaining on the floor Leon just looked up at him dumbly. He neither admitted nor denied what Chris was accusing him of; Chris took this as a clear cut sign that he was guilty.
"You have some nerve Kennedy! Now stand up so I can beat the shit out of you."
Leon did not stand up; he continued to sit on the floor mutely. By now Chris' anger was really getting the better of him.
"Fine Kennedy I'll beat the shit out of you standing or sitting."
Making his move to attack Leon both Barry and Carlos moved towards him, but it was Jill who got to him first.
"Chris, please calm down. You don't want to attack Leon."
"Jill get out of my way," he said trying to sound firm, but that rarely ever worked around Jill.
"Chris," she said gently "You have to calm down."
Despite his flaring anger Chris took a deep breath, he then turned to face Jill. She stood there next to him; her eyes were connected with his own. She was only concerned for him; he could see it reflect in her beautiful almond eyes.
"Do you want to go talk," she asked patiently.
Slowly nodding Jill took his hand and led him out of the house away from the others and most importantly away from Leon.
They took a seat on the stone steps which led to the house. Jill rested her head against his shoulder and for awhile the two of them just sat their quietly. With time dripping away Chris slowly began to realize this wasn't Jill's conversation to start, it was his own. After a few moments and a couple deep breathes he began.
"I don't know why I went after Leon like that. I know my sister is an adult and she has every right to sleep with whom ever she wants; it's just that I really don't like the idea."
"Well most big brothers wouldn't I suppose, but who's to say it was Leon. Maybe he's just as much in the dark about this as we are."
"That thought scares me even more. If that's true it would have to be some guy that I don't even know. As much as I don't like the idea of Claire sleeping with Leon, the thought of her having a secret life that I don't even know about it is even worse."
Removing her head from his shoulder Jill kissed Chris gently on the forehead and told him "You know there really is only one person you can talk to about this."
Chris laughed "Jill there are just some things that a guy can't talk about with his sister. Her sex life is on the top of that list."
"That might be true, but I'm pretty sure a concerned brother can ask his little sister what's the matter, because something's bothering her and I don't think it's only the pregnancy."
"I think you're right."
"Of course I am," Jill replied with a smile, shoving a playfully elbow into his gut.
"Hey there's no need to get cocky over it," Chris said wrapping his arms around her tightly, making sure that she couldn't move.
"Chris you better let go of me," Jill said warningly, though Chris was hardly scared.
With Jill still in his arms the two of them fell into the grass.
"Redfield what do you think your doing?" Jill laughed.
Letting her go Chris watched Jill scramble away. "I'm trying to seduce you, what does it look like I'm doing?" He teased.
With another laugh Jill hopped back on top of him "Then you better try harder," she told him and then followed it with a kiss.
It didn't take long for the group to pack up all their belongings from the house. By that night they were all on a plane heading for Seattle.
The whole day Claire avoided everyone. On the plane was no exception. She took the seat farthest away and didn't bother to tell any one that she wanted to be left alone, everyone just did. That was everyone spare Chris.
When the others were all seated Chris got up from his spot next to Jill and moved to the open one next to his sister. Claire didn't say a word to him as he sat down, she didn't even look at him. She merely continued to stare out her window.
There are many things that can be said about the Redfields, but one thing that is absolutely without a doubt true is this; they are drop dead stubborn.
Chris did not want to bring up the topic of his sister's sex life, and he knew Claire sure as hell wouldn't want to talk about it. So they sat there in silence.
At one point, as Claire's eyes continued to focus out the window, Chris watched his little sister. She looked so vulnerable, so confused about everything that was going on around her. It was at that moment that Chris had never felt so much affection for his sister. It was because of that affection that Chris finally decided to bite the bullet and be the first one to speak.
"So I'm going to be an uncle, huh?
Turning away from the window Claire looked at him gravely "You are such a dork, you do know that."
Grinning stupidly he replied "You don't say."
Despite herself Chris watched his sister give into a quiet giggle which was quickly followed by a deep sigh.
"You know this is not how I imagined my life would be like at twenty- one. I thought I'm be getting ready to graduate from college, start looking for a good job, maybe have a steady boyfriend. Not traveling around the world hunting down an evil corporation and being pregnant."
"I think for the most part that's how all of us feel, spare the pregnant part."
"Chris," his sister began but her words became tangled with the confusion that engulfed her very being "Chris I...I, I don't know how...I..."
Reading between his sister's lines Chris tried to clear up what Claire couldn't. "You mean you and Leon didn't..." his awkward question faded as he spoke, but Claire got the message.
"No, no Leon and I never...you know."
Unfortunately Chris did know.
"The truth is," Claire continued "It's been awhile since I have...you know." Chris could only nod and bite his lip as his sister spoke "I'm not going to lie and say that I've never...you know, it was back in college when I...anyway the point being since I came to Raccoon to find you I haven't... you know."
Chris listened intently to what Claire was telling him, but it just didn't click.
"Then how?" he questioned.
Lifting her shirt so only the bottom part of her stomach showed Chris saw a scar rest across her belly.
"When did that happen?" he asked her, but as soon as the words left his mouth Chris knew. Suddenly all the parts that weren't fitting together slid into a perfect hold. The fit only caused an anxiety filled lump to start to develop inside his throat.
Swallowing hard Chris gave the answer to his own question.
"Ashford."
Claire didn't say or do anything. A reaction that Chris could only take as a 'yes.'
"That son-of-a-bitch, when I get my hands on him I'll..." Chris stopped mid- sentence when he noticed quiet tears start to roll down his sister's angelic face.
"Claire, this isn't your fault. There was nothing that you could do. I mean we should have all seen something like this coming."
"It's not that Chris," Claire said wiping away her tears. "I'm not afraid for myself, I'm afraid for what's inside of me, whatever that maybe. I mean whatever it is has already become a part of me. I can feel it, if only its presence. What if when it comes out...it's not what everyone expects it to be?"
"The doctors said there is a perfectly healthy baby inside of you," Chris told her reassuringly.
"I know, it's just Umbrella were dealing with here. I can't shake that familiar feeling that nothing is as it seems."
Wrapping a loving arm around Claire's shoulder he said to her "Your going to have that baby. I wish that I can promise you that everything will be okay, but I can't. What I do promise you is this; come whatever I'll be here for you. We all will."
Leaning against him Chris watched Claire feel her stomach "I can't believe I'm having a baby."
"Neither can I, who the hell is going to take care of me now?"
Laughing Claire went back to looking out the window and in a dreamy voice said to him "It's going to be nice being back home,"
"Yeah," Chris agreed "It really will be."
For the rest of the flight the Redfields slept against each other. Both enjoying the comfort that only the other provided. A comfort that only a brother and sister could share.
AUTHORS NOTE:
This is my favorite chapter of the whole story. I could of nothing more awkward then talking to your brother or sister about...you know. Scratch that, parents would be worse, either way not an ideal situation.
Take care of yourselves,
Leah
You Know
"You got her pregnant didn't you ya bastard?!" Adam screamed into the payphone. "You sick son-of-a-bitch, I'm turning us both in to the authorities. I don't care what they do to me, you have to pay."
"Please Mr. Skampa," Alfred Ashford replied calmly "We both know that you're not going to turn anyone in."
"Like hell I'm not, were both going to rot in prison where we both belong."
"Mr. Skampa you knew something of this caliber was coming all along. You knew when you accepted your first payment. Imagine what the others are going to think when they discover that it was you that betrayed them. What your long time friend Leon would think, what would Claire Redfield think? So don't even bother threatening me with weak babble."
Ashford's words left a bitter taste in Adam's mouth; he wasn't able to say anything. He truly did despise Alfred Ashford, but no where near as much as he despised himself.
"You should not worry," Alfred continued "No harm shall come to Claire Redfield, that is if you fulfill one last task for me."
"I'm not going to run your evil agenda any longer," Adam snapped "You can find someone else."
"What if I say this last task will be worth two million dollars to you?"
"Fuck you Ashford!"
"What if I say that I've already deposited half of the money into your account?"
This time Adam didn't say anything.
When Claire was cleared to leave the hospital she immediately just wanted to go home, not just to their rented place back in Cairo, but back to their home in the states, back to Seattle, back to a place where she felt comfortable. For this Chris was all too happy to oblige.
The second that Claire fainted everyone's priorities changed, no one cared about the warehouse that they had to leave, no one cared about what Umbrella might be up to next. It was like the rest of the world vanished in the midst of their worry for Claire. Chris was sure he felt this above all the others.
From the hospital they brought Claire back to the house so the others could pack. Reaching the house Claire immediately hopped out of the van and went straight to her room, shutting her door firmly in her wake. It was at this time that a disturbing thought hit Chris, one he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of before.
If Claire was pregnant then that would mean she would have...putting two and two together one name suddenly popped into Chris' head. Leon Kennedy.
Leon was just a few feet away staring at Claire's shut door blankly. A wave of angry suddenly hit Chris like a ton of bricks, with no trace of self control he attacked.
"I have every right to kill you right now Kennedy!" he shouted, shoving the unbalanced and shocked Leon to the ground. "You sad son-of-a- bitch got my sister pregnant!"
Remaining on the floor Leon just looked up at him dumbly. He neither admitted nor denied what Chris was accusing him of; Chris took this as a clear cut sign that he was guilty.
"You have some nerve Kennedy! Now stand up so I can beat the shit out of you."
Leon did not stand up; he continued to sit on the floor mutely. By now Chris' anger was really getting the better of him.
"Fine Kennedy I'll beat the shit out of you standing or sitting."
Making his move to attack Leon both Barry and Carlos moved towards him, but it was Jill who got to him first.
"Chris, please calm down. You don't want to attack Leon."
"Jill get out of my way," he said trying to sound firm, but that rarely ever worked around Jill.
"Chris," she said gently "You have to calm down."
Despite his flaring anger Chris took a deep breath, he then turned to face Jill. She stood there next to him; her eyes were connected with his own. She was only concerned for him; he could see it reflect in her beautiful almond eyes.
"Do you want to go talk," she asked patiently.
Slowly nodding Jill took his hand and led him out of the house away from the others and most importantly away from Leon.
They took a seat on the stone steps which led to the house. Jill rested her head against his shoulder and for awhile the two of them just sat their quietly. With time dripping away Chris slowly began to realize this wasn't Jill's conversation to start, it was his own. After a few moments and a couple deep breathes he began.
"I don't know why I went after Leon like that. I know my sister is an adult and she has every right to sleep with whom ever she wants; it's just that I really don't like the idea."
"Well most big brothers wouldn't I suppose, but who's to say it was Leon. Maybe he's just as much in the dark about this as we are."
"That thought scares me even more. If that's true it would have to be some guy that I don't even know. As much as I don't like the idea of Claire sleeping with Leon, the thought of her having a secret life that I don't even know about it is even worse."
Removing her head from his shoulder Jill kissed Chris gently on the forehead and told him "You know there really is only one person you can talk to about this."
Chris laughed "Jill there are just some things that a guy can't talk about with his sister. Her sex life is on the top of that list."
"That might be true, but I'm pretty sure a concerned brother can ask his little sister what's the matter, because something's bothering her and I don't think it's only the pregnancy."
"I think you're right."
"Of course I am," Jill replied with a smile, shoving a playfully elbow into his gut.
"Hey there's no need to get cocky over it," Chris said wrapping his arms around her tightly, making sure that she couldn't move.
"Chris you better let go of me," Jill said warningly, though Chris was hardly scared.
With Jill still in his arms the two of them fell into the grass.
"Redfield what do you think your doing?" Jill laughed.
Letting her go Chris watched Jill scramble away. "I'm trying to seduce you, what does it look like I'm doing?" He teased.
With another laugh Jill hopped back on top of him "Then you better try harder," she told him and then followed it with a kiss.
It didn't take long for the group to pack up all their belongings from the house. By that night they were all on a plane heading for Seattle.
The whole day Claire avoided everyone. On the plane was no exception. She took the seat farthest away and didn't bother to tell any one that she wanted to be left alone, everyone just did. That was everyone spare Chris.
When the others were all seated Chris got up from his spot next to Jill and moved to the open one next to his sister. Claire didn't say a word to him as he sat down, she didn't even look at him. She merely continued to stare out her window.
There are many things that can be said about the Redfields, but one thing that is absolutely without a doubt true is this; they are drop dead stubborn.
Chris did not want to bring up the topic of his sister's sex life, and he knew Claire sure as hell wouldn't want to talk about it. So they sat there in silence.
At one point, as Claire's eyes continued to focus out the window, Chris watched his little sister. She looked so vulnerable, so confused about everything that was going on around her. It was at that moment that Chris had never felt so much affection for his sister. It was because of that affection that Chris finally decided to bite the bullet and be the first one to speak.
"So I'm going to be an uncle, huh?
Turning away from the window Claire looked at him gravely "You are such a dork, you do know that."
Grinning stupidly he replied "You don't say."
Despite herself Chris watched his sister give into a quiet giggle which was quickly followed by a deep sigh.
"You know this is not how I imagined my life would be like at twenty- one. I thought I'm be getting ready to graduate from college, start looking for a good job, maybe have a steady boyfriend. Not traveling around the world hunting down an evil corporation and being pregnant."
"I think for the most part that's how all of us feel, spare the pregnant part."
"Chris," his sister began but her words became tangled with the confusion that engulfed her very being "Chris I...I, I don't know how...I..."
Reading between his sister's lines Chris tried to clear up what Claire couldn't. "You mean you and Leon didn't..." his awkward question faded as he spoke, but Claire got the message.
"No, no Leon and I never...you know."
Unfortunately Chris did know.
"The truth is," Claire continued "It's been awhile since I have...you know." Chris could only nod and bite his lip as his sister spoke "I'm not going to lie and say that I've never...you know, it was back in college when I...anyway the point being since I came to Raccoon to find you I haven't... you know."
Chris listened intently to what Claire was telling him, but it just didn't click.
"Then how?" he questioned.
Lifting her shirt so only the bottom part of her stomach showed Chris saw a scar rest across her belly.
"When did that happen?" he asked her, but as soon as the words left his mouth Chris knew. Suddenly all the parts that weren't fitting together slid into a perfect hold. The fit only caused an anxiety filled lump to start to develop inside his throat.
Swallowing hard Chris gave the answer to his own question.
"Ashford."
Claire didn't say or do anything. A reaction that Chris could only take as a 'yes.'
"That son-of-a-bitch, when I get my hands on him I'll..." Chris stopped mid- sentence when he noticed quiet tears start to roll down his sister's angelic face.
"Claire, this isn't your fault. There was nothing that you could do. I mean we should have all seen something like this coming."
"It's not that Chris," Claire said wiping away her tears. "I'm not afraid for myself, I'm afraid for what's inside of me, whatever that maybe. I mean whatever it is has already become a part of me. I can feel it, if only its presence. What if when it comes out...it's not what everyone expects it to be?"
"The doctors said there is a perfectly healthy baby inside of you," Chris told her reassuringly.
"I know, it's just Umbrella were dealing with here. I can't shake that familiar feeling that nothing is as it seems."
Wrapping a loving arm around Claire's shoulder he said to her "Your going to have that baby. I wish that I can promise you that everything will be okay, but I can't. What I do promise you is this; come whatever I'll be here for you. We all will."
Leaning against him Chris watched Claire feel her stomach "I can't believe I'm having a baby."
"Neither can I, who the hell is going to take care of me now?"
Laughing Claire went back to looking out the window and in a dreamy voice said to him "It's going to be nice being back home,"
"Yeah," Chris agreed "It really will be."
For the rest of the flight the Redfields slept against each other. Both enjoying the comfort that only the other provided. A comfort that only a brother and sister could share.
AUTHORS NOTE:
This is my favorite chapter of the whole story. I could of nothing more awkward then talking to your brother or sister about...you know. Scratch that, parents would be worse, either way not an ideal situation.
Take care of yourselves,
Leah