The bonds of family

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Claire Redfield was sat at her desk, chewing on her pen as she stared at the faded photo in a battered frame. She had just gotten back from Rio on business and she had already thrown herself into another case. The photo she kept safe was taken such a long time ago, Sherry was still just a little girl in it, and Leon... Well he was no different. They had all been so happy when they made it out of Raccoon City, despite everything that had happened. It was years later and Claire still sometimes woke with nightmares of that place, and her time spent at Rockfort Island. She had barely spoken of it to Leon when she had made it home, but she figured Chris probably told him everything anyway. That was when she had drifted apart from the people she called family. They all seemed to have their mission and she had always just been 'Chris Redfield's baby sister'. Claire was much like her brother, in the aspect that she just wanted to help people. A shame Chris thought she was still that nineteen year old student. They still spoke on the phone often, had dinner together at the holidays, but pinning big brother down long enough for anything more seemed harder work than finding all traces of Umbrella and making them disappear for good. The young woman shook her head to try and clear the melancholy away, then pushed the dark red hair from her eyes. "Come on Claire..." She scolded herself, laughing quietly when she thought of the fun her friends had made in the past when she talked to herself.

"Stay home and relax...I don't know...whatever you wanted to do..." Leon said, almost pleadingly. "You can be whatever you want. Just stay with me, Claire." He had an odd feeling this was going to end like it had with Ada. He was going to get turned down flat. 

"Fine. Then I'm keeping this shirt." Ramona said, standing up with as much dignity as she could muster. "I don't know what you think you're playing at, but you're not going to win, Albert. You've met you're match."

"That doesn't really work for me... Too much time with my thoughts." Claire replied as she chewed on her lower lip. "Do you not like... Have vacation time or something?" She almost pleaded. 

"That remains to be seen, princess." Wesker snorted. "You couldn't stop me poisoning you."

"Oh sure. I can have the secret service send you anywhere." Leon said, thinking this was what she meant. "Think about a beach side getaway...and as soon as I get done with a mission I could join you. It would be perfect. Or maybe somewhere cold. You dream it and they can send you there." 

"Are you assuming that I wanted to?" Ramona asked, hunting for her phone. She sighed when she at least found it sitting on the nearby dresser. "You're not going to find anything snooping around on my computer. I encrypt everything."

"I'd still be alone." Claire breathed, sliding her arms around Leon again and resting her head against his chest. It was almost like she was preparing herself to have to return to never seeing him again.

Wesker merely smiled thinly and returned to what he had been reading before Ramona woke up. "Neil called while you were thrashing like a child. I told him you would love for him to call round and see how you were doing." He mused, well aware she would have to see Neil still without her clothes.

"Not  for long." Leon found himself pleading with her, even as he began to kiss her forehead. "Claire...my hotel isn't far from here...at least...stay with me tonight. Before I go back and we lose each other again. Please?" He began to realize she wouldn't stay. One night was all he could hope for at this point.

Ramona gave Western a wicked smile. "Good. Then he can take me shopping." she purred, already dialing the number. "it would be worth giving him a thrill for a new wardrobe.."

Claire hated to hear that pleading sadness in Leon's voice. She wanted to stay with him for much longer, but was scared of being left alone while he was off saving the world. "I'll stay." She promised, slender fingers curling into the back of Leon's shirt as she hugged him tightly.

"Go ahead, you are used to whoring yourself out to get what you want." Wesker snorted without looking up.

Leon knew all he had was the night but it was more than enough gently he slid his fingers into hers and began leading her back to his truck.
"Do you see that shit?" Chris hissed from the bush, poking Jill in the side. "he's trying to make my sister a slut! I won't have it!"

Ramona didn't look at Wesker as she sat down on the bed and crossed one bare leg over the other. He sounded jealous. That was odd.

Jill felt rotten enough that Chris had somehow gotten her out here crouching in the bushes like some demented stalker. "Chris, you have to stop this!" She pleaded. "Don't you see how happy they are?" She added. "It's not like he's talking a leaf out of your battle plan and locking her in storage cupboard with him."

Wesker hated to admit that it was the truth. He hated the thought of those smooth legs anywhere near that foolish TerraSave manager. It was all he could do not to tell Ramona she was better than Neil. Where were such thoughts even coming from?

"I'm going to kick his ass. He's going to do whatever he wants with her and then he will leave. Shell come looking for her purse before you know it."

Ramona ignored Wesker as she called and spoke with Neil. She was giggling flirtatiously without even realizing it. When she hung up she was still smiling. "Maybe he's not so bad." She said softly.

Jill sighed and rubbed at the throbbing spot between her eyes. "Chris, I don't think it's Leon you're mad at here. Claire was drowning, and you didn't notice." She breathed. "It isn't your job to protect her 24/7. Claire is a big girl, and you never know... Leon may be the very thing she needed to save her all along."

"Perhaps." Wesker replied in a clipped tone. "I imagine he's been wanting to compare you to Claire for a while now anyway."

"Leon is a dumbass. He can't save himself. Besides, he's got Ada. that bitch is still alive. Don't think she's not. All these snakes are still around. We ve only gotten rid of wesker...for now."

"Don't tell me you don't do it too." Ramona pointed out. It was still odd to her that he sounded so jealous. "I don't know why you care."

"So you would take away the one thing that has made Claire smile?" Jill asked sadly. "I know you're worried about her going through what she did with Steve... But this is different, I mean... It's Leon. What Claire felt for Steve could just have been because she thought they were going to die in that frozen wasteland."

"I don't." Wesker corrected coolly. "I simply do not think highly of anyone who concerns themselves with a Redfield. You would do well to keep your nose away from them too."

"What makes Leon different?" Chris snapped. "She loves him because they almost died in Raccoon city. It's as simple as that. She's still got a connection because he's still alive."

"What,does that have to do with Neil? He's not a Redfield. Ramona pointed out.

"How many years has it been Chris? You don't think it's been long enough for her to figure out if what she feels is real?" Jill asked softly. "Please... can we just go home now?" She asked, slipping her hands into his. "Are you going to tell em what we have isn't real either?"

"I meant your obsession with the girl." Wesker replied simply. "You don't think I know you were keeping track of her for quite some time?"

"That's not the same. We met before things got weird in that city. I loved you long before there were zombies involved. Those two rarely meet when they aren't fighting for their lives." Chris argued. 

Ramona refused to look at Wesker. How could she tell him her obsession stemmed purely from the other woman's family? He would never understand. Probably make fun of her for it. "It's no worse than the one you have for Chris." She said softly.

"They aren't fighting for their lives right now." Jill pointed out. "Just let them have a little fun for once." She added, lightly stroking her fingers through Chris' hair. "Now can we go home? I'm freezing my ass off out here."

"I wish to kill Chris." Wesker replied simply. "You stalked Claire and created a job just for her. Unless... You're session is actually with big brother Chris?"

"Yeah yeah." Chris sighed, knowing his sister was going to get hurt. "But when she comes home tomorrow all sad because she and dumbass broke up, you can deal with it."

Again he sounded jealous, though this one was far worse. "What if it is?" Ramona purred, curious where this path would take her.

"And what happens if she doesn't come back and they get married and have a whole brood of adorable little rugrats, huh?" Jill asked, poking Chris playfully. 

Wesker snorted and shook his head. "Please, by all means try. I would quite enjoy watching you try and even sway his gaze from jill for a second."

"That would be awesome." Chris said with a laugh. "Can you imagine me as uncle slash grandpa? I think I could die happy then." 

Ramona had nothing else to say. She got up and turned to leave, not sure she could handle any more of Wesker's poison for the moment. Her wishful thinking was just that. Even he did not want her.

Jill smiled, though it almost seemed sad as they left their hiding spot behind the bushes. "I guess you could." She told him softly.

Wesker knew no other way to be. Cruel and manipulative were all he had ever known, even as a child. He was watching Ramona as she left, wondering why Spencer had given her such a normal life, in comparison.

The next morning Leon woke up alone. He sighed heavily. He felt defeated. The night before had been the best of his life, he'd gone to sleep hardly able to wait until he could tell her just how much he loved her and beg her to stay.

by the time the doorbell rang Ramona had slipped into a pair if Wesker's pajama bottoms. She was more than a little glad she'd had his suit cases brought to her home. Since he was hiding her clothes there was no reason she couldn't wear his. "Glad you came back, Neil. I'm thankful you're so willing to forgive my silly outburst earlier." she said as she motioned him in.

The truth was that Claire was terrified. So much time had passed, but the pain of watching Steve die was still right there with her. She wasn't sure she could ever watch that happen to Leon. Claire knew she loved Leon, and was currently sat outside on the hotel room balcony smoking a cigarette with shaking fingers, trying not to think about anything but how wonderful last night had been. The truth of the matter was simply that her body had become all too dependant on the medication she had been taking. The very thing that Chris had taken from her last night.

Neil looked a little uncertain, almost like he expected this to be a trap of some sort. "I came after you, but... Well you had found other company." He confessed, looking down at the men's pyjama pants that Ramona was currently wearing.

Leon got dressed, believing himself to be alone. He left the room, tucking his phone into his pocket. Claire regretted what they had done. He didn't have to be an idiot to figure that out.

"Albert Wesker Is here. You know that. He's a mischievous bastard. He took my clothes while I was sleeping off the wine, so I returned the favor." Ramona snorted. "I think it flatters me."

It took another two cigarettes and the rest of her coffee to calm Claire down enough to make her see she simply needed to ask for help getting off the medication now that she had Leon to help her. It was an unfortunate turn of events that meant she returned indoors only after Leon had gotten dressed and left.

"Mischievous? Albert Wesker?" Neil asked, unable to contain the snort of laughter that suddenly escaped him. "Not words i'd expect in the same breathe! Well... Except maybe the bastard part."

Chris had a feeling this was how things had gone. He was out in the parking lot, calling his sister. He was leaning against his motorcycle, a cigarette hanging from his lips. 

"At least he didn't feel the need to destroy my purse." Ramona shrugged. "Mind taking me shopping? There will be a bonus to your next paycheck."

"Unless you're calling to apologise, I don't want to hear it Chris!" Claire growled, answering her phone only after she saw who was calling.

Neil's smile faltered more than a little. So he was here an an employee, that was all. "You don't have minions to do this sort of work for you? I'm not that hard up for cash."

"Actually I was." Chris said. "And I brought your meds. I figured you'd still need them. If nothing else you'd need the morning after pill I found in your purse."

"I'd rather spend time,with you. That's why I called you." Ramona said, hating herself for sounding so cruel. "I was just thinking that might be the only way you'd want to spend time with me." She admitted shamefully.

Claire was silent for a good few seconds, clearly trying to contain the fresh bout of anger she felt. "You really have no idea how far over the line you've stepped, do you?" She asked at last. "You have no right assuming anything about what happened last night!"

"Ramona, you're beautiful, and I'm pretty sure you know that. But the reason I like spending time with you because you're smart too. I hope you're smart enough to cut Albert Wesker out of your life." Neil breathed.

"I'm not stupid, kiddo. You deserved to be happy. I just wish you felt happy too." Chris sighed. "Come get your purse." 

"Albert Wesker belongs in the company. I need him. He doesn't need me obviously." Ramona said softly. "That doesn't bother me."

Again Claire didn't say anything. She still thought Leon had just left, like he had gotten what he wanted and gone back to his life. "How can I be happy when you go out of your way to treat me like a child?"

"Really?" Nick asked, clearly not believing this. "He's just a commodity, nothing else?"