18. Claire

A couple of days passed before they finally began their trip back to the United States. Chris was supposed to return with them to the US, but he got forced to stay back when one of the recon teams found a suspicious ship floating in the sea. Saya, too, had left the day before when an "emergency" at the office had forced her early return. The Japanese doctor assured her that it was something small and manageable. As a result, Leon and Claire were traveling alone. The older Redfield accompanied them to the airport; both Barry and Jill had had to stay behind handling the situation until Chris was back.

The DSO had arranged for them to return in a commercial flight. It was less comfy and perhaps a little riskier, but since Leon's visit to Wales was for personal reasons. It'd have been too suspicious to use a private. Claire didn't mind, she was used to the trips in commercial planes, and even though her nerves were still a little on edge, she found the presence of more people around her a little more comforting.

"Call me when you get there…" Chris said, finally letting go of her.

"I will. That doesn't mean you'll answer, though, so don't get all cranky when you end up with some missed calls..."

Chris snorted.

"I'll make sure to answer. Even if there's a damn B.O.W on my tail…"

"Chris...don't be an idiot. That's a reasonable excuse to miss my call…"

Chris laughed and ruffled his sister's hair in a gesture of affection.

"I know, I know..." he said softly, "Take care of her, Leon..."

"Don't worry. I will."

"I'll see you in a few weeks, ok?"

"Ok. Try to make it back in one piece. You, too, take care, Chris, please."

The older Redfield nodded and waved at them as Claire and Leon walked to the boarding gate. Claire was conflicted as a part of her wanted to keep Chris with her. She knew the sentiment was childish and that Chris had a more important task to do, but she couldn't help it. All Claire could do was pray that her brother would stay safe and sound. It was strange, but recently she had been going through a vortex of primal feelings, many of them childish in some way.

The flight would take a few hours, but they had nice and comfortable seats. She couldn't complain. Especially considering that it was probably the most comfortable way of traveling she'd had in a while. Claire looked through the window as the plane raised into the air, and the buildings began to grow smaller and smaller. She was finally going home.

Can it still be called home, though?

"Anything I should know before we get there?"Claire asked, ignoring her inner voice.

"Not really…" Leon replied, "Helena will pick us up and take us to our new home."

"Helena. You haven't told me about her…"

"Yes, I did. I told you about her when we talked about the events in Tall Oaks and China."

"Yeah, I remember that, but that wasn't what I meant. I mean about her personality and most importantly, should I be wary of her?"

"Why would you need to be wary of her ?"

"Easy question...just in case she's one of the haters..."

"Why would she hate you in the first place? She has never met you…"

"Ok, let me rephrase the question then… Is she one of your fangirls?"

"...No…."

"Then I am safe…" Claire nodded with a smile.

Leon let out a chuckle, and Claire laughed. There was always something pleasant about exchanging teasing comments with Leon.

"So...ok, next question…"

"Are we playing 20 questions or what?"

"Just trying to make the trip enjoyable…"

"Fine, I'll answer if you answer mine."

"Reasonable…" Claire shrugged, and the blonde smiled.

"You already asked, so this makes it my turn…"

"Oh, you cheater…"

Claire wondered what Leon was going to ask. Would it be about her work? She had certainly left a lot of unanswered questions.

"What's your favorite food?"

Claire looked at him dumbfounded. That was a question she had not expected.

"What?"

"I asked what your favorite food was…" he repeated.

"Are you kidding?"

"Do I look like I am kidding?"

"Why on earth would you want to know that?"

"Have you noticed that we never ask the normal questions? You're supposed to be my wife, I should at least know these small things, but we never talk about normal stuff..."

"Oh, fine..." Claire sighed. She had to admit that Leon made sense "...Chicken pot pie. My mom used to make it. She always made the dough herself and added peas and carrots to the filling. She never told me what was her secret ingredient, though, and even if mine tastes quite alike, according to Chris, I still can't replicate her recipe..."

"Huh, I had no idea you could cook…"

"Chris can't cook, not even to save his life. Someone had to do it when it was only he and I," she laughed. The last time that Chris had tried to cook something, it had been a disaster, and she still remembered that dreadful dinner.

Chris had just become of age, which gave him full rights to become his sister's guardian, and she was glad that she could finally move in with him. Her foster family was kind, but she preferred to live with her brother a thousand times better. Claire had been fourteen, then, and Chris had tried to make some mac & cheese for dinner, but somehow, he managed to burn it down so badly, that their house stunk of burned cheese for days, and they had to get rid of the spoiled pan. In the end, she decided that she'd never let Chris take the lead in the kitchen again. Years later, she realized that she enjoyed cooking duty.

"Your turn…Ask away…." Leon smiled.

"...I think I just forgot what I wanted to ask.."

Leon laughed, and Claire rolled her eyes. Her mind had gone back into her memories with Chris. Suddenly, the question she had been meaning to ask faded within her thoughts.

"Does it mean I can keep asking? Because I sure got a lot to ask."

"No, that wouldn't be fair…" Claire glared at him, "so this...Helena, how's she?"

"We had a bumpy start, but she grew on me. She saved me a couple of times, and we seem to work well together. We've been assigned together a few times ever since China."

"I see...you sure are a magnet for the other sex, huh? And who knows, maybe even from the same sex."

"What can I say? I think it all started with a certain auburn-haired girl back in 1998."

"Oh, haha...as if" Claire punched him in his arm, "it's your turn now. What are you going to ask? What's my favorite ice cream flavor?"

"I hadn't considered that question…"

"I was kidding. Seriously, Leon. You should know better than to waste questions in things as stupid as that…"

"It's not stupid if I'm getting to know my wife, right?"

"You already know me…"

"Yes, when it comes to terrorism and bioweapons. But How do you explain that I can list your favorite ammo, but I don't know your favorite ice cream?"

"Ah...fine, mint chocolate. That's my favorite ice cream..."

"I didn't ask, so I still have my question…"

"Oh, smartass; you fooled me…" Claire laughed.

"So...my real question...why don't you like to use your hair down?"

"Well...I don't know…" Claire shrugged, "It kind of gets in the way. I mean…."

Claire lifted the strand of auburn hair that hung over her shoulder and frowned.

"Especially when you need to punch something. It's easier to have it tied up. Can you picture me trying to kick a zombie with the hair all over my face?"

"Why not? I know girls who fight zombies in heels and miniskirts. What's wrong with some hair in your face?"

"It's impractical…" Claire said, shaking her head, " How are you supposed to run and dodge around in heels? And yeah, ok. Face off the horde of cannibal zombies with as much visible skin as possible. I might as well add some salt and pepper…"

Claire would never understand why the media insisted on putting people in high heels, miniskirts, and an unnecessary lack of clothing in apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic movies and games; it made no sense, and it was unrealistic. When it came to those situations, the priority was to keep your body from getting bitten or scratched, so the best choice was thick, comfortable, and practical clothes; the same came with shoes. It was obvious that the designers in those games and films had never had to fend for their lives in a real situation, otherwise, they'd know how it felt to be chased around by monsters with inappropriate outfits.

A sudden shudder ran down her spine as the image of a black, damp tunnel appeared in her head. She was crouched against the wall and, talking about inadequate outfits, she was wearing nothing but a white, foggy dress that looked almost like a nightgown that was quickly growing dark as she rubbed a mix of mud and, God knew what else, all over her body as she kept muttering to herself "Hide, away. Become invisible...Hide and become invisible..."

The woman had to shake her head to push away the thoughts, and she hoped that Leon hadn't noticed the gesture.

"Maybe you should write down a manual for that?" Leon suggested, "How to survive a zombie apocalypse for real. Rule number one, no room for fashion..."

"Whatever it takes to keep yourself safe..." Claire muttered softly.

Even killing.

If Leon had noticed Claire's sudden change of tone, he hadn't made any reaction. The agent had picked on her auburn locks and was playing with it between his fingers.

" Still, I think it looks good on

"The hair?"

"Yeah."

"I know you like it. You told me before…"

"I...did?"

"That night...in the cave...eight months ago?"

"Oh...right…"

Leon seemed, suddenly, lost in thought, and that made Claire tilt her head at him curiously; she poked at his arm playfully, making the man look at her confused.

"No daydreaming in the job…" she teased him, trying to push away the uncomfortable feeling from her gut "My turn now. So, how do you like being an agent?"

"It's not bad, but it isn't the best job in the world. It's nothing compared to what Chris does, but at least I get the chance to do things to make the world better," he replied sincerely.

"I guess we all fight with that sentiment in our hearts, huh? A way to make the world a better place..."

Is it even worth it?

"Some of us in a more destructive way, apparently…"

Death follows those who fight. Is our fight bringing hope or just chaos and pain?

Claire shook her head. She chuckled slightly, knowing that he was referring to Chris and himself. Chris and Leon were always in the eye of the problem. They were, always, fighting their way through the sea of fire and monsters, while she...where was she? She couldn't tell anymore. She was about to comment on that statement when she heard a soft giggle. Claire looked past Leon and, in the neighbor aisle, she saw a pair of girls looking at them; more precisely at Leon. They were young, probably in their early twenties, and both were giggling and mumbling to each other while discretely pointed at Leon.

Claire raised an eyebrow and laughed, making Leon look at her curiously.

"Seems like someone is interested…"

Claire tilted her head, pointing to the pair of girls who were watching them curiously. Leon looked in the direction his companion was aiming with a frown. The agent's lack of surprise was proof enough for Claire to know that such things probably happened often. The pair of girls caught the blonde's eyes and began to laugh as schoolgirls as they whispered among themselves.

"Was I that obnoxious when I was their age?" she thought.

Leon ignored the girls and turned back to Claire. The man was keeping his cool, but she could see the annoyance reflected in his mossy green eyes.

"Hold back your testosterone, Leon…" she teased him, "I thought you wanted to stay low key…"

Leon took Claire's hand and caressed it gently; the man looked at her with a coyish smile and brought her hand to his lips, leaving visible the ring that adorned his finger. The action took Claire by surprise, and her face immediately reddened as the woman looked at him, alarmed. Leon just smiled at her, amused.

"Flirt…" she said, rolling her eyes, and she heard Leon laugh.

The blonde man coughed loudly and said in a particularly loud voice.

"As if my wife needed to be worried about anything; you should already know I only have eyes for you..." he said and smirked at her shocked face.

Claire looked at him horrified; the people around him murmured and laughed, softly, while the pair of girls who had been looking at Leon looked disappointed. Claire felt her face burn at the shame and horror; the young Redfield glared at the blond agent. She saw the man struggling not to laugh, and she punched his arm, annoyed.

"Get used to it, Mrs. Kennedy…" Leon whispered with a snort.

"You're having too much fun with this, aren't you?"

"Watching you get flustered? If I have to be honest, yes, I am. This is probably the best flight I've been in…"

"What happened to the cool, stoic agent I knew?"

"He's your husband now...so I might take certain liberties…" he replied.

Claire crossed her arms and stared at him accusingly. Maybe Leon was taking all this act a little too seriously. Then again, Leon was always serious when it came to his job, so she shouldn't be surprised that he would take something as simple as an act so seriously.

However, why did he have to tease her like that?

It'll just make it more painful when it ends.

"Ah, I can't deal with you right now…" she said, rolling her eyes.

Claire clicked her tongue irritably, and, pretending to be upset, she took a book out of her handbag and started flipping through it. She was conscious that Leon was looking at her, but she chose to ignore the man. She wasn't really angry, but since Leon was taking his liberties to tease her, she might as well do the same.