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.

"There is none." Wesker lied. "Why would I experiment on myself when I have a comatose test subject at my disposal?"

There had been many times when Claire wanted to call Leon, several times where she actually had, and someone had told her he was simply 'busy'. After the third time she took it as the hint he just didn't want to talk to her. When Chris was particularly hateful towards Claire that day it finally pushed her over the edge. The young woman gathered up her belongings and simply told no one that she was leaving the BSAA to try and do good with TerraSave. Maybe professional distance was what would keep some kind of sibling relationship with her brother intact.

Once again Ramona gave him a burning look over the top of her glasses. "Because you're Albert Wesker. And you're curious...not to mention." She tapped her computer screen. "I can see you."

Ramona would be more than a little pleased to discover that Claire would be joining the TerraSave team. It would be enough to have her celebrating.

"Curious, not stupid." Weeks replied with all his usual self confidence. "It sounds like you want me to turn myself into a monster."

Claire seemed to be doing what she always did when she started at TerraSave; throwing herself into work. What else was there when her closest friend and her only family member both hated her?

"From the looks of it, you're doing a good job all on your own." Ramona said, her tone as dark as his. "It's great the you're multiplying my stock of Las Plagas and turning them into something else. But you need to watch yourself. Or at least make your clone take a hit or two." She added, taking the file and turning away from him as if she were dismissing him. 

Leon found himself completely unable to contact Claire and after a few weeks of it, he forgot all about it. He was growing busier by the day with the growing threats to the president that he couldn't pull himself away. Things were so bad, he hadn't even been able to attend the memorial service for Jill Valentine.

Wesker was smiling thinly when Ramona seemed to dismiss him. "I hear Tricell have fresh blood taking charge of the African branch. I believe she has bigger balls than even you." He remarked before turning away himself.

Of course Claire had attended the memorial, and it had hurt that Leon hadn't been there. She and Chris were still not on speaking terms, leaving each of them with no one to turn to at this difficult time.

"And she's endowed enough to keep you entertained for a while." Ramona purred. "A happy mongrel does not bite the hand that feeds him, Mr. Wesker. Remember that." She added, dropping the file he'd given her into a drawer. "Have fun in Africa. Bring me back something pretty."

"Don't think I haven't noticed." Weeks purred. "I have so missed the sight of a real woman." He added spitefully before rounding a corner.

As soon as he'd rounded the corner, Ramona leapt to her feet. She'd been sitting on information about Claire since he'd arrived at her desk. She couldn't contain herself anymore. She'd start Claire on the hard missions right away. And with the actions going on in WilPharma lately she imagined she wouldn't have long to wait until she dropped the youngest Redfield in the middle of a zombie out break. This thought was going to have to be enough to keep Albert Wesker's words from hurting her. At least for now.

Claire still had no idea that her orders were coming direct from Ramona. She had only just gotten finished with a job in India when she was handed a ticket and told to be on the next flight to Harvardville. The young woman didn't exactly complain, it all kept her mind off Chris, and to a lesser extent... Leon. 
The flight had at least given her time to try and rest, but before Claire knew it she was claiming her bag and heading out into the terminal.

Ramona felt overly exhausted. She was giving orders for a smooth transition to Africa and receiving bad news about Harvardville all in one sitting. It was because of this that she called the US Government. She was rewarded with the sight of Leon Kennedy being sent into the midst of things. It only slightly made up for the sight of Excella bouncing her breasts in Wesker's face. Not that she cared or anything...

"Leon?" Claire had just had a moment of deja vu as someone told her to get down as they shot a zombie behind her. It was Raccoon City all over again, only this time her heart pounded for a different reason.

Weeks knew Ramona watched every tiny action he took, and it was for this reason he didn't turn Excel away as firmly as he wished to.

Leon didn't know why it seemed so important to make Claire jealous. He also didn't know why he seemed so unable to stop himself from making an emotional connection with women when he was certain he was about to die. The first thought had been to make Claire see that he meant something to her. But in the end he wasn't sure he'd done anything at all. 

By the time Wesker had gotten Excella to shed her dress, Ramona had stopped looking. She didn't need any more of a hint than that. She was not his type. Certainly not like Jill and this woman were. She wasn't an idiot after all.

"What... What are you doing here?" Claire breathed, really wishing she wasn't clutching an umbrella like someone who didn't even have a clue. 

Wesker didn't treat Excel with any kind of care. He had needs, just like any man, and he took them from her. The dark haired woman genuinely seemed to think they had a connection, he almost pitied her, in the way he pitied the dogs in the cages of the lab.

"Assignment." Leon shrugged, not sure what else to say. "There was some speculation that this was going to happen. Better question is...What are you doing here?" 

"Why the hell did you call out her name?" Excella spat, more than a little angry about the fact. The claws were out. She was more than ready to scratch his eyes out for it.

"I was on a flight here when the outbreak happened." Claire replied, clearly able to hear the ice cold tone to Leon's voice. "And I'm fine, thanks for asking." She added bitterly.
"Uh, I hate to break up this touching reunion, but this isn't the best place for this." Angela commented from just behind Leon.

Wesker was smiling, even stretching his arms out lazily. "Who's name?" He purred, enjoying the look of disgust on Excella's heavily made up face.

Leon actually chuckled, taking the time to reload his gun. "For us it is." he teased, giving Claire a wink as he held out his spare pistol to her. "It's like family reunion. Or. Something..."

"Ramona. Seriously?" Excella snorted, sliding back into her pitiful excuse for a dress. "That little snake is worse than Spencer and twice as sneaky. Oh...speaking of...she authorized the injections you wanted. Anything for her precious Albert." She snorted.

"Leon..." Angela was shaking her head in protest. "You can't just give your side arm to a civilian!" She insisted.
Claire was checking the gun over, and suddenly looked up at Leon with a surprised expression. "This is..." She couldn't help but smile; it was the very gun she had used to survive Raccoon City.

Wesker rose to his feed and crudely zipped up his pants. "Did I say we were done?" He asked, squeezing Excella's shapely behind roughly as her pulled her against him again. He knew exactly where all the cameras were, and was putting on quite a show to try and make Ramona jealous, or so it seemed.

Leon held up a hand to silence Angela. Unable to keep from grinning at Claire. "it was a pain in the assignment to clean last time. Be sure you return it in better condition this go round, okay?"

Ramona was lucky not to see. She was busy dealing with the back lash from this, trying to keep Tricell as far out of the dirt as possible. It wasn't working so well.

"No promises there, boy scout." Claire mused. For a moment they just seemed to look at one another, all the animosity of the past few months forgotten.
"O...kay, well whatever we're doing, we need to do it quick." Angela insisted as she took a few shots at the undead who were shuffling closer down the narrow hallway.

Weeks basically dismissed Ecxella once they were done and he opened up the link back to Ramona's office. "I know you're there, princess. So answer the call."

The moment was gone with the gunshots. Leon turned away, his interest solely on Angela now. "Good luck, kiddo!" He called over his shoulder yanking out his own gun and firing at the undead that were stumbling towards them. 

"Hello?" Ramona's voice didn't have that mocking tone for once. She sounded exhausted and more than a little frustrated. She hadn't even bothered to check who the caller was. "Tell me you have good news..."

Claire had seen that look before. The 'kiddo' just made things feel that much worse. Getting out of the airport hadn't been as bad as it could have been, it would have been even easier if not for Senator Davis. They were alive, that was all that mattered. Claire had left Leon with Angela, consoling the woman who had just lost her partner. The younger Redfield was feeling rather sorry for herself too, after finding out that TerraSave had actually slowed down distribution of the T-Virus vaccine with their interfering.

"Whats this? No acidic remark?" Weeks mused when the video feed connected. "The pressures of leadership pulling my little princess down?"

"Do you still have my gun?" Leon asked, trying to ignore the comment Angela had made about "swimming" before she had left them. He ran his fingers through his hair, wondering if there was ever going to be a chance to simply slow down and relax. 

"Oh. It's you." The response from Ramona was less than welcoming. "Did you get your pants zipped at least? Don't tell me you're calling with them still down."

Claire hesitated, then shook her head. "I lost it in the explosion." She lied, the firearm in question was still tucked in the back of her jeans. 

"I truly am touched you give my pants so much thought." Wesker purred. "I was calling to ask why you authorised everything I asked for." He had sent some rather outrageous demands, simply to see what Ramona's limit was.

"That's a shame." Leon said, shaking his head. He could see the unmarked helicopter touching down and turned toward it. "That was a really good gun. You owe me a new one." He smiled gently at her wishing he felt at ease to just grab her and kiss her the way he did Ada. "You going to be okay?" 

"I saw nothing wrong with a massive shipment of my little ponies. I mean even a big important man like you needs some down time to play too, right?" Ramona purred, a small spark of herself returning.

"I always am, aren't I?" Claire replied, her brave face mask back in place. She often wondered why it was so easy for Leon to form attachments to all these other women he met, and she was always 'kiddo'. "Stay safe out there." She added, wishing it wasn't entirely possible that she would never see Leon again after her got into the chopper.

"Correct." Wesker replied coolly, trying not to smile at that last comment of Ramona's. "Though I thought it was a little childish of you to only send the ponies and the dvd's I requested." It was a rather surreal conversation, one no one else would ever believe took place.

"You too. Tell your brother to call me when he gets a chance. You do the same. Okay?" Leon added, finally brave enough to give her a brotherly hug. After that he walked off, not even daring to look behind him. 

"You don't have time for movies. I don't care how motivated you are by Twilight Sparkle." Ramona shot back falling easily into the jest. For a moment she felt better and was actually smiling.

Claire didn't seem to even blink as Leon walked away. She wanted the scream and toss his gun back at him. Was it so disgusting to want her like he did every other woman he met? Claire had denied how she felt for Leon for a long time after Raccoon city, more so after Steve had crashed so quickly in and out of her life.

"Then perhaps you should take that lovely private jet of grand daddy's and come motivate me yourself, hmm?" Wesker replied.

Leon missed Claire. It was always that way. It was so much worse than Ada. He had a friend in her that he couldn't find in anyone else. He wished there was a way to keep that but he knew full well that she was not going to let that happen. He was not her type. She'd more than made that clear after Raccoon city. He didn't need a neon sign to know it. Still, that didn't keep him from staring at her as the helicopter lifted him away. 

"Excella seemed to be doing well enough." Just like that the good natured tone was gone. "Is there anything else you needed from me, Albert? A heads up on the arrival of the BSSA perhaps?" She snapped.

Claire had down down where Leon had left her. She couldn't face going back to TerraSave, she couldn't face her brother, hell... Right then she couldn't stand the thought of her empty apartment. She tried so hard to make everyone believe she had her shit together, that they missed the cracks in her emotional armour that had been getting bigger and bigger lately. 

"You think I can't handle them?" Wesker asked, his own tone also rather icy now. "They are children. They play at war, thinking they know everything, even as I take their lives one by one."

Leon was depressed. He had never felt more alone. He had wanted to bring Claire home with him. But instead he was here alone. Like always. He opened the door and dropped the keys onto the table in the hallway and stumbled to bed. It was better to be here and alone. It had to be. 

"Just be careful." Ramona said softly. "Say the word and I'll send in a clone to take the worst of it." She didn't know why she'd offered it. She knew he'd reject it. He'd see the offer as a sign of weakness and most likely tell her so.