Rebecca answered the door with a small smile. "Good morning."

Athena eyed her up and down in her normal way before beaming at her. "Morning, Becky!" She walked passed her and into the house.

Rebecca watched her then looked to Chris. "She's in a rather good mood," she observed.

"This second," he agreed. "Changes worse than the weather."

"Hmm." She made a thoughtful face then smiled at him. "Sounds like a pregnant woman to me."

"Yep." He followed her into the house.

"I have to go get my toast before Al has a fit. Make yourselves comfortable." She motioned for them to sit as she made her way to the kitchen.

Athena stayed standing, almost appearing at ease before some superior officer. Her hands were clasped behind her back which was as straight as she could make it. Chris sat down and looked at her. "Athena, get my child over here and sit down."

She raised a brow as she hid a small smile. "Now, just this morning, you corrected me when I called it your child."

Before Chris could respond, Wesker did as he walked into the room. "It better be his child."

Rebecca, who was right behind him munching on her toast, smacked him on the arm. "Be nice."

He looked down at her with a raised brow. "That was nice." She merely mimicked his eyebrow.

"Alright. Can we just get this shopping thing over with?" Chris stood.

"There you go again." Athena frowned at him. "I know you don't want to go."

"I have to go or you'll have my kid in some Army getup."

Athena gave him a look like he had just lost his mind. How could he think she would... she shuddered and crunched up her face. "I am not dressing any child of mine as a grunt!"

"There is the little matter of the ring as well," he told her. His voice had lost its joking tone.

Wesker looked at Athena intently. "Ring?"

"Fine. Let's go." She started for the door. she did not want to listen to her father at the moment. "You two don't have to come if you don't want." she looked from Wesker to Rebecca and sighed. She was not getting away that easy.

Rebecca's eyes were wide. "You mean.... I mean you..." Once she found her voice.

"I haven't done a thing." Athena shrugged.

"You're going to, though, right?" She asked as she went over and hugged Athena. "I'm happy for you." Athena was not sure what to do with the armful of Rebecca she found herself with.

"Gees, Becca, calm down." Chris scratched at the back of his head.

"Uh... Yeah, we are," Athena answered Rebecca's question.

"Cool." She gave Athena a smile and a small peck on her cheek. Athena tried to return the smile as she peeled Rebecca off herself. Rebecca took a look around then left the room to get dressed. Athena and Albert needed to talk.

Chris watched the two Weskers uncomfortably. Wesker had a blank look on his face and Athena was watching her father, waiting. Wesker eventually looked his way. "Finally grew some balls, Redfield?"

"Bite me... Sir," Chris replied. His voice dripped with sarcasm on the last word.

Wesker raised his brow, as he was prone to do, and gaze in his cold, blank way. "Not my job, Redfield. You have my daughter to do that for you."

Chris' face grew very red. "You can go fuck yourself, Wesker." He turned and stormed out of the house. Wesker watched him go with a blank face.

Athena glared at her father. Did he do things just to hurt her? "Just have to have that superior attitude all the time."

"Must take after you."

She snorted. "Why did you do that? Can't you just be happy for me?" She hid any sorrow or pain behind a stony mask very similar to his own.

"Did I say I wasn't?" Granted, he felt she could do a lot better than Redfield. "Because if I did, I'd like you to tell me where, exactly, I said it. Am I suppose to pat his head like a puppy for doing something he should have when he first found out?"

Athena narrowed her eyes. "Don't push it." Her face grew very cold. "One call is all it would take, Captain Wesker."

"Then make you damn call. I will not be threatened." His face and voice remained unemotional.

"I think it would be best if you don't go with us." She started for the door.

"I'll allow Rebecca to know you've changed your mind." She gave him a heated but icy glare then left, slamming the door behind her. Wesker stood there but a moment before going to the bedroom. "Don't bother dressing. We're staying here."

Rebecca had heard the door slam but had tried not to assume that meant Athena and Wesker had fought, again. "What did you do?" She put her hands on her hips.

"Stated facts."

"And your hot headed daughter got mad." She sighed. "Can't you just get along? Al, you can't keep fighting like this. It's not good for either of you." She again sighed and threw up her hands. "Fine." She laid back down on the bed. He watched her a moment before going back to the kitchen.

-------- ------- ------- ------ ------- ------- ------- ---------

Brian sighed as he hefted the bales of hay up into loft of his grandfather's barn. He had declined getting his own place like the others. His grandfather needed the help, and he enjoyed helping out. His brother, however, was driving him insane. Endless questions about the different women that had shown up, what they were doing there of all places, and could he set him up with one of them. Brian had more than had enough. He finished with the bales of hay, throwing a few down to floor of the barn to feed the horses. He jumped down to the floor as well.

Cutting the strings on the bales he made a pile of hay in the corner then grabbed a pitchfork and shoved it deep in the hay. He had already mucked out the stalls and worked over all the tack, and it was only 8:30. He tossed some hay into the stalls then javelined the pitchfork back to the hay, narrowly missing Demetrius as he walked inside.

"Watch it, Donnelly!" Greer walked over to him and handed him a water bottle. "Here." Brian took the bottle and took a drink then thrust it back an Demetrius before starting to feel the grain bins in the stalls and the water troughs as well. "What's got you all worked up? You've done more in the last two hours than I've seen you do in a week before."

Brian threw him a glare. "Nothing." He went over to the tack room and grabbed what he would need to reshoe the horses.

"Brian..." Demetrius started. He had never seen Brian so defensive or uptight. Did the man's family really have that big of an affect on his life?

"It's nothing!" Brian exclaimed just as his brother walked in.

"Still in a bad mood, are ya?" His brother asked as he surveyed all the work Brian had done. He had come out to do part of it, but it appeared he had been beaten to it.

"What do you want, Kenneth?" Brian scowled at his brother.

"I came ta see ta the hay, but ya already got it done." Kenneth shrugged. "I'll get outta yer hair." He turned and left. Something was really eating at his older brother and he was not sure he wanted to know what at the time.

"I take it you have not been in a good mood as of late?" Greer asked as he crossed his arms and leaned against a stall. He wanted answers. Brian's attitude could endanger them if something were to come up.

"Not that it is your business, but no." Brian went into one of the stalls and started to shoe the small horse within.

"Do you need help?" He highly doubted Brian could shoe the horses alone.

"No," Brian answered tersely. Demetrius sighed and watched the other man. "Did you want something?"

"No one has heard a word from you since we moved out. I came to see why." Demetrius had actually been ordered by Gunn to see why, but he wasn't going to tell Brian that.

"I've been busy." Brian gritted out as he finished one of the feet on the horse and moved to the next. "This place needs a lot of work done."

"And you are trying to do it all on your own?" Greer eyed him. "Usually we have to pull teeth to get you to do anything like this."

"I have to work off this... this... frustrations somewhere!"

"What's bothering you? You have to resolve it so you'll be good for the team."

"I'm fine for the team. It's family, not your business." Brian moved to the next foot. "If there's nothing else..."

Demetrius raised a brow but turned and left. He would let Brian be in his mood and make Athena aware of it. She would have a hell of a lot better chance of getting through to him. As much as Brian annoyed the hell out of him, he did not like seeing the other man so worked up. He was usually so fun loving and jovial.