My Mentor, My Savior

What really happened last night?

I sighed while the relaxing effects of the water took over my muscles. Images of the memories from last night passed through my mind like shooting stars in the night sky.

I had, certainly, gone to have dinner at a local on the same street as the hospital; I went back to Claire's room past 10 PM o' clock to say good night. When I entered the room, I did find her standing, with her hair down, in front of the big window. She had also changer her white pajama for a white robe, and I just remembered that that day medical personnel had requested it, since they needed to wash every cloth property of hospital. She would have her pajama the next day —she got that fever a couple of weeks ago because she wasn't covered enough, the cold atmosphere affected her, so they decided to change her outfit—.

The differences between my wild dream and what really happened started with the fact that the room wasn't dark inside, and there was no fantastic moon outside illuminating it. In fact, the night sky was cloudy when I went out to have dinner. Her room looked exactly as a medical room, there was no romantic feeling in it that could lead to something else.

When I called her, she turned to face me, she lost her balance and fell to her knees. She had walked a bit by herself earlier, she wanted to continue but the time of her session was over. I supposed Claire wanted to keep trying.

Just like my dream, I ran to her and helped her stand, and we did sit together on the sofa.

And we were very close, indeed.

We also talked about how my dinner was, about the fact that I had enough of the snacks from the ground floor, that I owed her brother for bringing me food from outside while she was unconscious; she did say she wanted to go to one of the restaurants I visited here, and…

And we did acknowledge that we should know each other better.

Then I told her she looked good with her hair down, and she complimented my morning beard. I explained to her the importance of looking older now that I was chief operative of a new division created by the government; she told me her brother had the same way of thinking…

I'm beginning to understand why my dream twisted the real facts. Everything looked like a romantic date.

However, it was in our later conversation where my dream and what really happened took different paths.

"What do men have with body hair and masculinity? I take men seriously for their attitude, whether they're furry bears or Egyptian cats.

"But how do you like them better?"

I definitely took seriously that thing about knowing each other better.

"Well, to tell you the truth, as long as they're not Nostradamus, I'm okay. That length of a beard is almost unsanitary".

And then her eyes opened wide, as if she had just remembered something related to our conversation.

Or someone.

"In any case, I think I've got rotten luck with bearded men". She said in a sad tone, with a void gaze. I guessed that maybe our talk reminded her of a failed relationship with a man with said trait.

"Why do you think so?" I questioned, but maybe that wasn't a good idea, because I saw Claire let a deep sight out and kept quiet for a few seconds. Then, she stared at me, it looked like she wanted to tell me something, but didn't know where to start, or wondering if it was necessary for me to know about it.

"You know, there are some things that just do not work between a man and a woman. It happened to me recently. Nothing out of this world, it happens to everyone at least once in their lifetime". It was all she said about the topic, and I just leave it like that. I was pretty sure it was as irrelevant as Claire made it seem, but if she didn't feel ready to tell me —or if she doesn't trust me that much yet—, I would wait patiently. After all, we agreed to know each other better. We would return to the topic later, sometime, I was sure.

To show my intention, I told her about a girlfriend I had not long ago, a girl who didn't leave me alone even after our breakup. She, like many others before her, could not put up with my pace due to my job, so she decided to go on our separate ways. She dumped me, and I didn't complain, but two months later she looked for me again, telling me she missed me and all that rubbish. I suspected she liked somebody who was always available for her —unlike me—, way before we ended our relationship. I guessed that once we broke up, she ran to him. And then, it turned out the guy was not what she expected, that she used her like a toy, and tossed her like trash in the end.

And I, smartly, made the mistake of listen to her partially —because I didn't believe a shit she told me—, since I agreed to have casual meeting with her. When I started to get tired of her, I wanted to finish it once and for all, but she insisted so much to the point I wanted to either shoot myself, or shoot her in the head —leaving notes on my car and under the door of my apartment deserved it—. In the end, I had to "threat" her with a lawsuit for stalking, and that I could do it because I was an agent with many contacts in the government. After so many tears falsely shed and attempt of blackmail, she got my point and left. I never saw her again since then.

Claire seemed to have relaxed by listening to my story, she found it worth the laugh. She yawned, I suggested her to go to sleep, she nodded and I carried her bridal style to take her to the bed. For some odd reason, I lost my balance and sort of tripped over, making Claire get scared and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Sorry about that, my ankle weakened". I told her while straighten myself up.

"Don't worry. I think you're tired as well". She whispered behind my ear. I remember I got goose bumps when her breath touched my skin.

I laid her down on the bed, I said goodbye, telling her she could call me if she needed something. I turned off the lights and left the room to come to the hotel room I was staying in.

And that was all that happened last night. Only half of my dream was true, the other half was created by my mischievous subconscious. What could have leaded my mind to create such a scene? The only reason I could think of was that I had not get laid in almost two months. Since I came back from the Easter Salve Republic, I got so into the investigation about the assault to TerraSave that I left aside any other personal issue. I put on halt my casual dates.

I supposed that that fact, plus the fact that Claire had been the only woman I had contact with, played against me to make me dream about my subconscious desires. The human brain cannot create faces out of nowhere, every single face we saw in our dreams, we've seen it awaken, even if it was for a brief second and didn't remember it at all. My mind had chosen Claire to display all the latent content and that was how all originated.

"…For me, you both are more like a father and a mother…"

Of course, I had remembered Sherry's words about me and Claire. My hypothesis made total sense.

Mystery solved. God bless science.

I just didn't understand why I worried so much, I'd had dreams like that before, and one of them was with Hunnigan and it did not leave me like my dream with Claire did, even when there was, indeed, a background story with Hunnigan.

Maybe it was just the fact that wet dreams are teenagers' issues, and I was already 34 years old. Anyway, I wasn't going to let that though spin around my mind, it wouldn't help for anything to keep thinking about an erotic dream with Claire just when I was about to visit her.

Besides, Sherry said she would go to see her today. I didn't tell Claire, I wanted it to be a nice surprise —and I bet my Black Ghost it would be—. I expected Sherry to make her rethink about the decision to leave TerraSave.

I did not know why, but I felt that what Claire and I talked about last night was related to her silence about what happened in the island, and her sudden choice. The reaction she had for the topics were similar to each other, it must mean something.

Although they were only guesses of mine, I should not discard any possibility.

I hope you can do something, Sherry.

I thought while I immersed my head under the water again, the bath made me feel a lot better.

Suddenly, the profile picture of Neil Fisher passed through my mind like a fugacious memory.

So, a rotten luck with bearded men…

I began to think that this betrayal was beyond work issues.

o-o-o-o-o

—Yes, you can take it already — I told the nurse who came to check my condition and wanted to retrieve the tray I had my breakfast on. She also gave me back the white pajama, I was really glad about it, because I felt cold with the white robe. The sheets were not thick enough to warm me up.

I saw how the woman left the room, when she closed the door, I laid down on my bed, it was the only thing I could do without getting tired the minute after. I was getting annoyed by all that, even though it's been only a few days after I regained consciousness. It was discouraging to think I might have to spend another two weeks in the same situation.

Actually, my mood wasn't the best since the moment I woke up, I kept on rewinding everything that had happened, and what might happen if they make public who was behind this big incident.

I felt betrayed by TerraSave, the organization I'd been working in for the past years, the same one that made me risk my life every time I traveled to an infected zone to rescue the survivors and help the victims. Neil Fisher himself was the one who offered me the chance to join the organization; did he do it just to use me? Was I only a potential experimental subject all this time? Every merit I earned was just to be selected for a crazy experiment with a virus? I couldn't get it, and there was no way to find out the truth, because the ones responsible of my kidnapping and the death of my co-workers, were also dead. At least, that was what I saw before escaping the island.

I knew I had to spit everything out some time, and when I did, the curse will cast upon TerraSave. Before that occurred, I preferred to quit. I didn't want to witness the collapse of everything we all built for TerraSave, our reputation getting stained with an indelible mark.

I could not take it.

When those thoughts invaded my mind, my mood wasn't the best one. The urge to cry and the anger struggled to take over control. In the end, neither of them could be expressed. It was frustrating.

The only thing that kept my mind busy and away from all those ideas, was Leon's company.

He had been here with all day and night while I was unconscious, and he even spent most of his time here at the hospital, just talking to me. At first, he tried to convince me to speak out about what happened to us TerraSave members, and I did want to tell him —I have trusted him my whole life before—, but I didn't felt quite ready yet, I was afraid of not holding myself back while speaking to him. I had managed to say some details about it, but not the main one: who were the ones responsible of the whole incident. I knew that without that information, the investigation could not take the course it should, and I was so eager to help —I wanted to speed up the search for Moira—, but words got stuck in my throat every time I wanted to say more.

Leon noticed my difficulties, and he chose to not ask more questions. Shortly after we finished that topic, he started to telling me stuff that had nothing to do with the previous conversation. If we were in other situation, I would have wondered why he was telling me all that, but given the current situation, I was grateful to him. He made those thoughts go away from my mind, and made me smile and laugh from time to time. Like last night, when he told me about his stalker ex-girlfriend, it was so funny to imagine the great government agent Leon S. Kennedy running away from a obsessed woman. It seemed he needed to improve his taste in girls.

"She just wants to get out of here, Claire, and she needs our help".

I remembered when we meet Ada Wong in Raccoon City, that woman gave goosebumps since the moment she appeared before us, she was up to something, because she didn't look just like a mere survivor, but Leon just didn't notice that because he kind of liked her and thought she was inoffensive —even though she was well armed that night—.

You certainly are a foolish naïve sometimes, Leon.

And that was why he needed to improve his taste in women.

"No. No,no,no. There's no way. Got it? End of discussion".

Gosh. Had I been talking I would have certainly bitten my tongue. Leon was not the only one foolishly naïve with the opposite sex. I should improve my taste in men too.

Neil…

And just before those intrusive thoughts invaded my mind again, I heard someone knocked on the door. Maybe it was Leon, he came really early.

—Come in —I said while I got up.

To my surprise, the person at the other side of the door wasn't Leon. It wasn't even a man. A blond, short haired girl, with a really young look peeped out, as soon as she saw me, she ran to me and threw herself to my arms, holding me like the first time she did in Raccoon City.

—Claire! I wanted to see you so much! — she said, almost bursting into tears.

—Sherry! —I exclaimed, moved by her show of affection—. I'm glad to see you too.

She pulled apart and sat on the edge of the bed.

—Leon told me you had woken up. Oh, God, I was so worried about you all this time, I was afraid you might not come back — her eyes turned a bit red.

—If waves of zombies have not taken me down, nor will a simple hit —I replied, petting her head.

—I know, I thought of that every time I worried in excess. I have always seen you as a woman shielded with titanium, able to resist any fierce attack. The fact that you're recovering is a proof of that. Even though you didn't want me to get involved in bioterrorism anymore, I am sure I wasn't wrong when I chose to look up to you and Leon.

—Thank you Sherry, I feel honored and touched hearing those words from you- I said sincerely.

Sherry smiled shyly to my comment.

—So, tell me, how are you now? — she asked.

—A lot better compared to when I just regained consciousness, I can move a bit more, but still can't stand for a long period of time. I am taking rehabilitation therapy. I hope to recover enough so I can get out of here, I'm missing my home — I said with a mournful tone.

—I see — she paused briefly—. What are you going to do afterwards? The case is still open and the investigation continues.

Before replying, I sighted deeply.

—I do want to continue the investigation, I need to find Moira, the daughter of my friend Barry Burton. But I will do it on my own, I will quit TerraSave— I said, looking down. I was sure Sherry would not agree with my decision.

—Why do you want to quit? What happened there to make you decide that? — she asked very serious, it was weird to see that attitude in her.

—Something happened that will make the reputation of TerraSave go down. The work of many years will be tossed like trash, and I don't want to see that. It would be too much for me to handle.

—Your work of many years will not go anywhere. It will still be there, evidences will not and cannot be erased. But, what I do think it will happen —she continued— is that a lot of people will be left unprotected. Bioterrorism has not ended, and will not do anytime soon. Claire, I know you have not wanted to talk about the incident, but if the name of TerraSave is stained, only TerraSave itself can clear it.

I lift my gaze to look at her. Her gaze was like the ones I gave her when she wanted to give up during her time in the government facilities.

Irony.

—I have not met a better rescuer than you, Claire. Rani and I know you really are. I'm sure Moira Burton thinks the same.

—I am that good that I left Moira behind, while the build we were in was collapsing. I failed her, Sherry. She had so many expectation about working together and this is what happens — I felt my voice breaking—, I failed her father who trusted me to take care of her. I cannot be a rescuer anymore.

Sherry put her hand on mine.

—You haven't failed anyone. This incident wasn't your fault, and there are some situations that are out of our hands. Moira wasn't wrong to trust you , and if you don't want her to be wrong, don't give up. I am sure that is one of the reasons she looks up to you so much, I know it because that's one of my reasons to be like you.

A tear fell on my cheek.

—I'm not even sure if she's still alive, if I will ever find her, and what if what I found is not what I expect? —I could go on with the list of possibilities, each one worse than the other.

—She's alive. All of us who had been under your care have survived the most gruesome of situations. That's enough for me to believe she's alive and waiting for you.

Her words touched me a lot, it felt like a ray of hope to my heart.

—You're not only my savior, you're my mentor. When I wanted to give up in those years I was confined, mostly in my teen years, you were there to support me. And Leon too. You two became the father and mother I always needed. Without you, I don't know what crazy act I would've committed to escape from my confinement. Killing myself wasn't an option due to the mutated virus in my body.

Oh, Sherry.

—There are people like my father, William Birkin, who spend most of their life creating bioorganic weapons to destroy the world. We need people who want to spent most of their life protecting us from them. And that is what you have done the best, Claire. Don't leave mankind unprotected from this threat.

I couldn't hold back anymore , I let out all the tears I was containing since the moment I learnt the truth about Neil. Sherry hugged me and stroke my back, just like I did to her when she was younger.

—Thank you, Sherry — I pulled apart and took her face in my hands. She looked so young, even though she was already 23 years old. And that fine and beautiful face reminded me of her mother Annette—.You've grown so much. You seem increasingly like your mother.

—Are my eyes turning turquoise and my hair is changing from blonde to reddish-brown? — she winked at me.

Aww…

—I'm joking— she laughed— I suppose you say that because I'm beautiful, right? — she asked with naughtiness.

—Of course —I responded firmly —, your mother was a beautiful woman, even though I only saw her a couple of times. You know she always loved you, right?

—Yeah, for many years I didn't want to believe it, but thanks to you I learn to honor her, and my father as well, regardless of their wrongdoings. It's thanks to them that I exist and had the chance to meet you and Leon. I didn't leave Raccoon City with my hands empty, I lost something important that night, but I also found something valuable.

—We didn't leave the city with our hands empty either— I winked to her, and she hugged me again.

—So —she said while pulling apart —,what are you going to do after you're discharged?

—I'm going back to TerraSave and put some order there. I will try to collaborate with the B.S.A.A. to find the place we were taken to. The government is also willing to help, so there's no lack of support here. Before all that, I'm writing a report about everything I experienced and discovered during my captivity. Everything, I won't keep silent anymore — I assured her.

—Excellent, I like that attitude a lot more. I knew you were not going to give up, as you said, you're hard to shut down. Now, if you excuse me, I need to make a brief call —she took out her cellphone from the pocket of her coat, slid the unlock button and dialed a number—. Leon? Are you here already? Got it, I just wanted to say "mission accomplished". When you come, Claire will tell you everything you need to know. Alright, see you around —she hung up.

Mission accomplished?

—Would you mind to explain what you meant with "mission accomplished" and what does Leon have to do with it? —I asked, taken aback.

—Leon was worried about you, because of you sudden decision to leave TerraSave. He asked me to convince you. He also thinks there is no better rescuer than you, he doesn't want you to leave the world unprotected either. He though you would listen to me better, since I am survivor rescued by you.

I was, definitely, a really lucky woman to have people like them around me.

Leon was an invaluable friend. I will not disappoint him, nor everyone else who believed in me.

—I see. I will thank him when he comes.

—Good. Listen, Claire, my training as an agent is keeping me really busy, I might not be able to see you as often as I'd like. But if you ever need me, please call me, I'll do anything to be by your side, agreed?

—Agreed. Take care, Sherry —. We hugged again, and we took a little longer that time, who knew when we will meet again, and what kind of circumstance lied ahead of us.

o-o-o-o-o

Hello everybody!

Yes, I know it's been a while and you miss me a lot. I also want to update more often, but being a college professor does take its time, between doing exams, checking home works, reading report —because I do read them from top to toe—, grading, etc. I have three groups, with a total of 100 students, you can imagine how much work I can have xD.

Another reason I was late to update was that I played RE6, after so much time refusing to do so due to all the critics it got. Very well deserved critics, the game is kind of absurd, long and boring campaigns, absurd trophies/achievements ( sprint 5,000 mts, crawl 300 mts, press action buttons 1000 times…they only missed "wink 100 times" e.e), way too much shooting and, what's worse, CLAIRE TOTALLY FIT IN THE STORY YET THEY CHOSE NOT TO INCLUDE HER. Sherry and Chris went missing, and where was she? She spent two games looking for her brother, and when he disappears again, she does too.

And the supposed explicit Aeon…really? Ada did what she always does! She even made fun on Leon, thinking he's cute when he's confused. People get excited when they realize Ada had Leon's number…well, she also had Simmons'. She even knew Simmons better than she knew Leon. Besides, she destroys all evidences of her evil double…she just loves to be the center of attention, even if it is for the wrong reasons. I just don't know where they see "love" in that relationship. And if you noticed, Leon has started to get desperated ("I'm tired of you little games!"), he's finally accepting that Ada is not what he thought she was (when he asked "what are you?").

Anyways, I had to play it in order to link RE6 story with my fic, we're already halfway the story! Hehehe.

You know which parts of Leon's dream were true, and of course they will get to know each other better, just leave it to me x).

If you liked the story, please follow and favorite it, and also leave a review, that will help me a lot to continue.

Don't forget to share this story with any Cleon fan you know, I want this to reach every fan out there!

I have big plans for this, I am contacting some artist to make renders of this fanfic, wait for them!

See you soon!