A few weeks later

Recovery had been quite brutal for Piers as he now had to deal with only having one arm.

"I can't!" Piers snapped.

"Yes, you can!" Chris glared at him.

Claire just sighed as she watched the pair. Chris was a little abrupt, but at least his abruptness was helping to push the younger man. Finn had also wanted to give his encouragement, but really didn't want to get in the way.

"It's hopeless!" Piers groaned.

"Get used to it!" Chris shouted at him.

"I can't!" Piers snapped back in annoyance before calming as Chris grabbed him by the back of the head to bring him into a hug.

"We'll get through this," he reassured him. "We could maybe even get Carla to work on something to grow your arm back."

"What, like the Lizard?" Piers frowned as Chris let him go. "No thanks, Captain!"

Chris just chuckled until seeing Claire's face.

"Oh, I forgot." He mentally kicked himself.

She shook her head, pushing the thoughts of Steve out of her mind. Piers looked to Claire and Chris before turning to Finn.

"You got anything to add, rookie?" he asked, inviting him to join them.

"Yes, sir." Finn nodded with a smile as he headed over to join them.

Claire was rather proud of her brother as she watched him rubbing his fist over Finn's head, the three all laughing and joking together. It was just like one big happy family, and to top it off Jill, Sherry and Barry had all now joined.

"How's everything progressing?" Jill now asked as soon as she stepped into the room.

"Things seem to be going back to normal," Claire smiled as she watched Chris now break out a football for them to kick around.

"Who's up for some soccer?" he asked.

"Count me in, Captain!"

"Me as well!"

"Everyone outside," he gestured to the men, who all followed him out.

Jill was now following him on as well, warning Chris about pushing Piers too far too soon. Claire, Sherry and Barry also followed on to watch.

"I heard from Chris, you and Jake..."

"It isn't like that," Sherry frowned.

"So, he's still a thug for hire then?" she now asked before getting a slap on the arm. "Ow!"

"Any of you wanna join?" Chris called out to them. "Claire?"

She shook her head as Jill now walked over to stand next to her.

"Sherry?" he asked.

"No, I'm fine."

"Barry?"

"I'm in," Barry smiled as he headed over.

"How about you?" he now asked.

Sherry and Claire turned to look to see who he was now taking to.

"Jake?" Sherry thought surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Thought we could settle a difference," he said as he looked to Chris while taking off his coat.

Chris looked to him and he looked back.

"Jake," Sherry frowned before he now gestured for the ball.

Chris smiled and threw it to him.

"Ready to get your ass kicked, Redfield?" Jake now asked as he walked over to him.

Sherry rolled her eyes while Claire shook her head.

"Men," the pair sighed as Jill gave a chuckle.

xXx

Yet another week had now passed and Leon was now enjoying a day off, he'd chosen today as the day to meet up with Claire again. The pair now catching up on events after their dreaded time in Raccoon City.

"Well this is a change," Claire smiled as she sat opposite him at one of the outside tables to the small cafe. "I was hoping we could finally meet under different circumstances."

"What better way than to relax with a nice warm coffee," he shrugged lightly.

Claire nodded as she took a sip. "So anything happen between you two?"

"Ada?" he asked as she nodded. "No."

Claire gave a frown. "I spent six months with her."

Leon nearly spat out his coffee. Six months, he couldn't even get six hours with the woman let alone six months.

"Did she, uh, say anything?" he asked casually.

"We had some pretty decent conversations, when she was around that was."

Leon couldn't help but smile now.

"She told me she had a boyfriend named John," she turned to him for acknowledgement.

"Yeah, she was looking for him back in Raccoon City."

Wow, so that was true about the boyfriend thing. Surprising.

"I also asked for her real name," Claire now said as she picked her coffee back up.

"Real name?" he asked.

"Come on, you don't think she'd go around saying it to everyone do you?"

"Well, did she tell you?"

Claire didn't respond to that, she simply raised her cup to her lips and took a good drink.

"Claire!" he frowned.

She gestured with her head for him to turn around. He spun in his seat, desperately searching for whatever it was Claire had seen.

"Is that.." he now stood.

"Go get her tiger," she mocked roared.

"I'll be right back," he turned back to her before turning to head off.

Claire shook her head, he wouldn't. Leon was now quickly rushing across the road, getting a honk in return what with the traffic showing no signs of slowing.

"Ada?" he now looked to her as she stood with her arms crossed. "I almost didn't recognise you."

She gave a smirk in return. "Red is my work colour, though I do rather prefer pink."

He shook his head, damn there was so much he really didn't know about the woman.

"Wait, so that means?"

She turned as Claire now joined them.

"Hey," she waved.

Ada gave her a smile in response.

"I really enjoyed the coffee, Leon. But I've got to get back..."

"I thought we were catching up?" he now turned to her, a little confused as Claire and Ada both shared a look. "You planned this?"

"Of course/not!" the pair answered in unison, it was pretty obvious who the one denying it was.

Leon shook his head as he then reached into his pocket. "I think this belongs to you."

She took the mirror from him to slip into her handbag.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone. I look forward to our next catch up session." Claire now smiled as a car stopped to pick her up. "I've got to get back to a certain grumpy woman in white."

"Everything sorted?" Jill asked as Claire opened the car door before climbing in.

Claire looked back at the pair with a smile. "I'd say so."

"You were in on this too?" he frowned.

Jill could only smile as she flicked on the indicator to then pull out onto the busy road.

"Come on," Ada beckoned. "I know someplace we can..."

Leon grabbed her wrist, getting a look in return.

"This is my treat," he told her. "I'm taking you to.."

"And I say..."

"Don't fight me on this, Ada!"

She gave him a smile that made him weak at the knees.

"Alright, show me your fancy place."

"You won't be disappointed, I promise you." He smiled as she now slipped her hand down into his, her fingers intertwining with his now as he now held her hand.

Leon looked to her with a warm smile, maybe this was the start of something wonderful?

xXx

The first time Helena stepped foot into the forbidden quarters, she was questioned on why she was even there in the first place.

"I'm here to keep an eye on Carla Radames," she told the strict security.

One had to phone it in just to make sure she was allowed through.

"She checks in," he nodded to his friend, who then proceeded to give her a check to see if she was carrying anything with her. "Gun."

With a huff she handed over her weapon, thus allowing her to proceed. Carla was made to work in the labs only with a select few others which had been specially stationed there with her. As soon as Helena passed them by they started whispering to one another. Helena couldn't care less what they were talking about, she had a job to do.

"So they sent you," Carla turned to face her, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Who were you expecting?" Helena asked.

Carla shrugged, unfolding her arms as she turned back to her work. Helena looked around, wondering what the hell she was to do while she watched over Carla. At first the woman hadn't given her much trouble, but as the days passed Carla started to give her some attitude more than usual.

"Do you have to stand over me all the time?" she just snapped one day.

"It's my job, yes!" Helena gave back as much as she got.

"You're disturbing me!"

"Well excuse me, but you do remember you're under strict supervision?" Helena scowled, getting one back in return. "I'll stand over there, if it makes you feel any better."

"Please do, you're making me feel sick."

Helena crossed her arms as she gave her a death glare. Time couldn't go by fast enough for her. She'd made constant trips to the toilet and back, all thanks to Carla and her weak bladder all of a sudden. She wondered if the woman was doing it to get out of working, but the paleness of the older woman's skin told her something else.

"Are you feeling alright?" she questioned as soon as Carla exited the toilets.

"Not that's it's any of your concern, but yes."

"You really don't like making things easy for people, do you?" Helena frowned, this time getting a smug smile in return.

"No," the older woman simply stated as she resumed her work.

Helena sighed in defeat as she took a seat to now watch Carla work. Having fancied Leon herself, she could clearly see why he'd choose someone like Ada over any other woman out there. She hated to admit it, but the woman was beautiful. Shaking her head at the thought of the woman standing a little away from her, she couldn't help remind herself that Carla had one ugly attitude to go with that beauty that she shared with Ada.

"I've not even into woman, god Helena!" she scolded herself as she rubbed her face.

"What's wrong with you?" Carla broke her from her thoughts, making her jump slightly.

"Nothing," Helena told her, acting very much like the way she did to her.

"Suit yourself," the older woman shrugged as she sat cross legged on the chair beside her, hot coffee in hand.

"You sure you should be drinking that," Helena frowned at her. "You've been back and forth to the bathroom all day."

"Are you telling me what I should and shouldn't do?" Carla glared at her.

"No," Helena sighed, brushing her off.

"Good, stay out of my business."

Soon enough it was time for another trip to the toilets as Helena had predicted. She didn't much mind as she got to stretch her legs a little more thankfully. Come the end of her shift, she was glad to be heading home.

oOo

"How's bodyguard duty?" Leon had asked on one of her days off.

"Dreadful," Helena sighed, burying her face in her hands. "Everything started off fine, then she just started giving me attitude. She's constantly going to the bathroom."

"She sick?" he asked.

Helena now nodded. "She did look pale and they won't really give her much time off."

"Well they'll have too, if she gets any worse. Then you'll have a job playing nurse."

"Not funny, Leon." She scowled at him.

Leon just gave a chuckle in return.

"So, how's things going with Ada?"

"As you'd expect," he shrugged. "It's taking time to get used to. Not being in a relationship since all this began can make things a little harder."

Helena nodded, thinking back to a time she'd actually had a strong relationship before work and looking out for her sister took over her life.

"How's your sister doing?" Leon now asked.

"Coping," Helena now sighed. "There's still some tension between us, but we're slowly fixing things."

"Good to hear," he smiled at her.

The pair shared a lighthearted conversation before going their separate ways again.