Rainy Birthdays and Recaps

Author's Disclaimer: I do not, never have, nor shall I ever own the rights to WarCraft and Resident Evil. If you want the rights, ask Blizzard and Capcom if they're willing to give them up. Go ahead. I dare ya.

Claire Redfield slowly walked down the long, cold, dimly lit corridor. A thin layer of blue mist covered the frozen stone floor that parted as Claire made her way down the path, her eyes shifting between the massive cast iron statues of knights in full plate and chain mail armor. As she reached the end of the corridor, she saw a figure sitting along in a chair, his head slumped over, covered by his blonde hair that glistened with crystals of frost.

She squinted as she slowly came over, her heartbeat quickening as her pulse began to race. She's been in this scene before, and seen this man in a thousand nightmares since.

Steve…

Her mind echoed that distant memory as she came closer to the figure, strapped down with thick leather bands and chains of iron. She looked across his chest to see the axe that pinned him to the wall, yet in its place was a long thick sword. The silver blade glistened and shined in the pale light, emphasizing the black markings etched along the cutting and guard sides of the sword. As the metal reached the hilt, the cutting side became serrated as curved spikes formed along the blunt side of the instrument. The hilt was midnight black, with golden leaves and vines overlaying it. In the very center was a small skull with wicked teeth. Blue and green mist billowed from the empty sockets, giving off a chill that pierced Claire like an arrow.

No. This couldn't be Steve, she thought as she looked at the slump figure. It was another soul from her nightmares and dreams, one who was fast replacing her previous demon.

The figure raised his head and his eyes locked with Claire, freezing her with his empty, pleading gaze. His eyes pulsed and gleamed like emeralds as the prisoner's dry lips parted, "Claire…"

"Leon!" Claire found the strength to respond. She looked down at his chest and saw crimson lines gliding down his chest and abdomen. The sword buried itself deep into Leon's chest, making the man yell in pain.

"Let me help you!" Claire cried out as she extended a hand.

"No!" Leon spat in a loud, commanding voice. His lips quivered with fear and worry as his eyes began to shine brighter. "Run!"

"No!" She shook her head in fear as she watched him fidget and struggle. There was no way that she would leave him here to die. They were going to escape.

Suddenly, chains and plates of steel shot out from the walls and slithered over to Leon, covering his body. The prisoner yelled in terror and struggled violently as the plates and chains slid across his frame. "Run! Now!"

Claire shook her head in fear. What was happening? What was going on?

Leon yelled and screamed as the metal surrounded him and began to form a wicked, black armor of spikes and golden runes around his body. Spindles of violet and golden fabric grew from the plates and formed together to create a flowing cape.

Claire watched on in horror as Leon's final screams pierced the air with an echo that went on for eternity. When he was finally covered completely in armor, his face was hidden away forever behind a mask of gold, formed into a skull with glowing green eyes.

Claire gasped and felt her feet give out as Leon let out an inhuman roar that shook the armors apart and reached for the sword across his body. With one great heave, he tore the sword from the wall and clasped it in both hands tightly. The great emerald eyes glowered at Claire as he advanced slowly over, as though he relished every moment and absorbed the ecstasy of his easy hunt.

Claire tried desperately to get up, yet her legs seemed to lose all desire to move. Her bones froze in terror as she watched him advance with his slow death march. She tried to call to him, to reason with him and plead with him to regain his senses, but a part of her soul knew deep down, that Leon Scott Kennedy was dead.

The skeletal armor that encased Leon came to a halt, casting a great shadow and wave of ice that covered everything in the room. Tears began to well in Claire's eyes as she watched his hands raise the sword over his head, and for one final moment, she raised her arms in a meek attempt to defend herself as his sword came down and a final wail of terror and Leon's name escaped her lips.

Claire's eyes shot open as the sword came down and a gasp of fright escaped her lips. Her perfectly blue eyes scanned the room frantically as she sat up and her hands covered her chest, trying desperately to regain a grip on reality. It took a moment for Claire to remember that she was in her room, covered in her favorite sheets and surrounded by her familiar posters and pictures of her friends and herself.

A heavy sigh escaped Claire's lips as she buried her face in her hands. That same damn dream again, the same one she had last night and the last three nights. She fell back against her pillow and looked up absently at the ceiling, trying desperately to find the meaning of her visions. She remembered reading a book about how dreams have some sort of meaning and can be interpreted to mean everything from future fortunes to a long-forgotten past and regret. But what did it mean when your best friend was strapped to a chair, turned into a giant in armor, and tried to bring a sword down on you?

The thoughts and worries ran through her mind over and over again as she tried to divine some kind of meaning. She played with the idea of telling Leon, but she knew that would be a big mistake. Claire knew that no matter what, Leon would take the dream to be another attempt of hers to get him off the job and… do what? Go on vacation? Retire? Leave the job to someone else? Open up a bar or something?

Deep down inside… that was what Claire wanted. She spent the last few years, and the years before that, watching Leon as he and the others fought to stop Umbrella at every turn they could. She recalled all too well the battles both in the courthouse and inside of Umbrella's facilities, dealing with psychos who thought they could rule the world with terror for profit. It wasn't as though either of them was ignorant of the dangers and horrors posed by Umbrella, but now Claire was afforded the rarest opportunity of everyone: she got to observe perhaps the most dedicated member from the team aside from Chris as he tried desperately to fix a mistake he thinks he made.

She couldn't help but notice how Leon was getting older. Not just older in terms of years, but in reflexes, speed, and strength. Even his ability to remember things was suffering, and his temperament was becoming older and more worn even faster now. It was to be expected when someone worked as hard and fiercely as Leon did. No one had unlimited stamina, and Leon, even though he didn't want to admit it, was coming close to his personal limit.

Yet would she ever tell that to Leon? Of course not! Would he even listen if she did? It wasn't as though she didn't care about his health – on the contrary, she was probably the one out of the pair who cared the most -, but she knew how he would feel about that. He made that vow all those years ago about how he would stop Umbrella and people like them, and she knew how he was on promises and vows.

Another sigh escaped her lips just before the aroma of bacon entered her nostrils. A smile formed across her lips and all of her worries seemed to fade away with the smell of processed pork products frying in a pan.

As she climbed out of bed, she heard the rolling booming of heavenly artillery, and swore as she realized it was about to rain. The pattering of liquid bullets on her window corrected her, that is was already raining. She turned her head and frowned when she saw rain spraying fiercely against the windowpane. She guessed the outdoor activities were cancelled.

Claire muttered and turned on her stereo as she started searching for her outfit. She sang along to "Bye Bye Beautiful" as she fit into her favorite jeans and t-shirt and tied her boot laces tightly.

When Claire walked out of the room, she was greeted with the sight of Leon whistling "Mad World" as he tended to the bacon.

A smile formed across her mouth again as Claire walked in and began singing, "All around me are familiar faces, worn-out places, worn-out faces. Bright and early for the daily races, going nowhere. Going nowhere."

She imagined Leon smirking as he said, "I'm up to the chorus now."

"There's a chorus?" She laughed as she walked over and kissed Leon on the cheek. "Morning."

"Morning, sleepy-head." He replied and began to plate the bacon. "Coffee's in the maker already."

Claire smirked, the dream just a distant memory to be revisited tonight, no doubt, and went over to the coffee maker they had gotten from Billy and Rebecca as a house-warming gift. "You know how to treat a girl right, huh?"

"Indeed I do." Leon said with an air of confidence as he reached for his familiar blue mug, already filled with the steaming beverage laced with two sugars and a little two percent and took a sip.

"Even on your birthday?" Claire joked as she poured the coffee into her favorite red mug. Just before she went to get her cream, she kissed Leon on the cheek again. "Happy birthday, by the way."

Leon smiled and blushed slightly, "I was hoping you would have forgotten."

"What, with all the planning Jill and I have been going through?" She slammed the fridge and feigned hurt as she went over and poured a liberal amount of coffee mate into her mug, "I didn't have to hire the strippers and import all that beer, ya know."

"And I know you didn't." Leon retorted and took his mug and the plate of bacon over to the kitchen table.

Claire walked over to the table and sat down next to Leon, "Well I said I wasn't obligated."

Leon laughed as he took a few strips and set them on his plate, which already had a fried egg in it.

Claire looked down at her egg-covered plate and deposited some bacon next to it. "You know, traditionally the birthday people wait for someone else to make them breakfast."

"You were sleeping." Leon replied as he poured syrup over the bacon and egg. "And I was hungry."

"As usual." Claire joked and started poking at the egg. She sighed as the room lit up with a spear of lighting. "I guess the outdoor stuff is cancelled."

"So no pony ride?" Leon frowned and mocked as he took a bite of his concoction.

Claire laughed, "Not unless you want to get struck by lightening."

Leon let out a playful moan of disappointment and continued to eat his breakfast in relative peace.

During the meal, Claire kept shooting looks at Leon when his eyes were too busy concentrating on his plate. It was as if some part of her remembered the dream all too well, and was hoping to ensure that Leon's eyes were their normal steely blue and not glowing like emeralds in a fire. She shook her own head at her suspicion and fear. Maybe she was the one who needed the vacation.

A great white wolf-dog came out of Leon's room and walked lazily over to her master, who smiled and scratched just behind her ears before offering her a piece of bacon.

"Morning to you too." Leon greeted Allyson as she licked her master's hand.

"Still sleeping with her, I see?" Claire said as she took her own strip and offered it to Allyson, who accepted it eagerly. The two of them remembered just how hard it was for Claire to win Allyson's trust at first, but now that time had gone past, the three were like family now.

Leon nodded, "Sorry, you know she's the only girl for me."

Claire laughed as Allyson licked her palms and gave her a hard rub along her head.

After the meal was done and the plate were cleared and cleaned, the trio made their way to the entrance, grabbed their jackets and headed out the front door to Claire's Camry. She clicked the unlocking button twice and stepped into the driver seat as Leon occupied shotgun, with Allyson riding in the back seat between them. Lightening jabbed the sky as they drove on down to the brick house that Jill and Chris called home. Of course, Chris was away in Africa on an assignment, so he would not be joining in the day's festivities, much to everyone's disappointment.

Claire reached the door first and pressed the glowing orange button. After a few minutes, Jill opened the door, wearing of all things, an apron. "Claire!" She exclaimed and wrapped her arms tightly around her sister in law, who eagerly accepted and returned the embrace in kind. Jill turned to Leon and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek and said, "Happy birthday."

"Thanks." Leon replied as Jill ushered them into the living room, where Rebecca, Billy, Barry and a little four-year-old were sitting on the couch and two armchairs that surrounded the coffee table.

Allyson barked as the others stood up and welcomed the newcomers, and walked over to the group. Rebecca, sadly, had developed a deep fear of dogs after the horrors of the mansion, and practically leaped out of her skin and sprinted out of the room had it not have been for Billy's arms wrapped around her. She knew enough to keep the yelp in her throat where it belonged, for fear of terrifying poor Caitlin.

Caitlin, the adorable four year old brunette with pale skin and hazel eyes, looked up from her seat on the floor and smiled widely as she saw Claire and Leon walk in and return everyone's greetings. "Auntie Claire!" She exclaimed and shot her arms out in front of her aunt.

"Sweet thing!" Claire returned the exclamation with the endearment she and Leon used on their niece and cuddled her tightly. "How are you?"
"I'm good." Caitlin said and hugged her aunt just before screaming. "Hi Uncle Leon!"

"Hey there, sweetie!" Leon said and kissed her forehead. Ever since she was born, Caitlin had been the glue that held the Leon, Claire, Jill and Chris so firmly together, and gave them all a link and hope for the future. "You're getting big." Leon whispered to her as he took Caitlin from Claire and cuddled her close.

"Mommy tells me that all the time." Caitlin replied and wrapped her arms tightly around Leon's neck. "Happy birthday, Uncle Leon."

Leon chuckled and set her down slowly. He turned to Barry and shook the burly survivor's hand. "So how's it feel to be thirty one?" Barry chuckled.

"Probably the same as being forty eight." Leon retorted as he went on to shake Billy and Rebecca's hands, who both wished him happy birthday.

As the wind whipped violently and rain hammered the windows and walls, Leon and the others sat around the living room, talking and laughing and reminiscing about old times and their favorite memories of Leon. Naturally, they tried to keep it as kid-friendly as possible, since Caitlin was present. As the day wore on and the sky grew darker, Jill helped a weary Caitlin up the stairs to her bedroom. Leon waved to his surrogate niece and laid back on the couch as Barry went to the fridge and started passing out beers.

Barry retired back in 2004 when Umbrella was thought to be destroyed forever and moved to a town in New Jersey with his family. He wanted to be as far away as humanly possible from Washington and any news on Umbrella. To him, Umbrella was dead, and the only people he cared about were his family.

Billy had returned when Rebecca managed to clear his name, and was reinstated by the United States Marine Corps, now as a drill sergeant. As for Rebecca, she was serving as a field medic for the Marines, in the same base as Billy. They had gotten married about two years ago, and were as happy as could be.

Jill was still involved with the agencies that helped take down Umbrella, and was still handy with a gun and lock pick, but found herself devoting more of her time to being a mother to Caitlin.

With Caitlin in bed, they began to talk about shop. It was a subject they all dreaded with the deepest fear, yet they knew they had to discuss it.

"So what's new, Leon?" Jill asked as she sipped her beer.

Leon huffed and admitted, "Not too good, I think. We've been keeping tabs on most of Umbrella's former researchers, and we're still hunting for Spencer. If he's still alive."

"Oh he's still alive." Barry replied bitterly. "Bastard like that can't be dead with all of the stuff they were making with that company of his."

The others nodded morbidly. Claire added, "The group I work for is stepping up its efforts in case something like Raccoon City or that airport ever happens again." A grip of silence encased the room as she mentioned with a slight chill of horror in her voice, "Which I pray is unnecessary."

"Me too." Leon remarked thoughtfully as he sipped his beer. The cold liquid seemed to turn hot in his throat, and had the exact opposite effect than it was meant to have.

Billy scratched his chin and asked, "How's Chris's investigation?"

"It's going well, I think." Leon replied. "He's working with one of our South African agents, who seems to be pretty capable." He smirked as he looked down at his open can. "It's pretty hard to find new capable people."

"Maybe you should start training some." Barry offered and set his can down. "I'm pretty sure if you and Billy banged your heads together, and got some feedback from Jill, Claire and myself, we could form a new special team to take over this whole hunt."

Leon smiled politely. Barry always said this every time they were together. "I know. Maybe next year."

Barry frowned. "You've been saying that every time we get together, Leon."

Leon and the others noticed how Barry referred to Leon by his name now, as opposed to the old days when he would call Leon "Kid". He never meant the nickname as anything other than a sincere endearment, and because he saw in Leon the same man he was all those years ago.

"I know I have," Leon said. He sighed softly and lowered his head, "But I mean it this time."

"You say that every time too." Barry replied, stood up, and turned to walk out of the room into the kitchen.

Leon, Claire and the others watched with concern as Barry walked into the kitchen. Jill frowned as a cloak of silence and unease had covered them. "I'll go talk to him." Jill offered as she stood up and walked into the kitchen.

Barry stood aloof in the kitchen, staring blankly out of the window at the small garden Chris and Jill had managed to grow and cultivate. His former S.T.A.R.S partner walked up behind him and spoke in a voice so soft it may have been manufactured into velvet. "Barry?"

Barry turned to Jill and huffed, "Kid's stubborn as a mule."

Jill nodded and stood next to Barry, "I know that, Barry. Then again, that's what keeps him going."

"Stubbornness shouldn't keep anyone in the game." Barry said, "I remember when all that drove Leon was heart and will. That's all you need, and that's all that should keep you going. When you have to rely on stubbornness as your fuel," He paused and shook his head. He realized that his voice was getting loud, and he didn't want to wake Caitlin or let the others catch what he was saying. It took Barry a moment to get his voice down and finished, "That's when it's time to trade in."

A soft sigh escaped Jill's lips as she looked into Barry's eyes. She knew Barry and Leon had grown close as comrades. Barry practically took Leon under his wing and taught him everything he knew about firearms and maintenance. Practically made him a member of the NRA, for that matter. But more importantly, Barry saw Leon's fire and passion and helped guide him in the right direction, and taught him how to temper his love for justice into something, even if he was underground. When Leon's father died two years ago, Barry and Leon grew even closer, despite the fact they lived in two different states.

"What keeps Chris going too, for that matter?" Barry asked absently. "Or you, too?"

Jill shrugged, "Same thing as Leon. Stubbornness."

Barry huffed and shook his head as he muttered, "Two of you shoulda given it all up when you had your kid. And Leon too. Specially now that he has Claire with him."

Jill smirked and whispered, "They still don't know yet."

"Sheesh." Barry shook his head, "You'd think those two would've hooked up or something by now."

"We're not pushing anything." Jill remarked. It wasn't any big secret amongst the group that Claire and Leon seemed like they would be perfect together, and it was even less of a secret that they both crushed really hard for one another. The problem, was getting them to admit it to each other without forcing them. Or before it was too late.

"Do me a favor, huh?" Barry asked as he started walking out of the kitchen.

"What?" Jill asked, tipping her head.

Barry turned and smiled softly, "Get those two together before I do it."