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Description
Disclaimer: I do not own Resident Evil.

Moments

xXx

Claire lunged forward in her bed. Her mouth gasped for air as her body trembled. A cold sweat coated her body and she clutched at her chest. She continued to suck in air in a way not dissimilar to hyperventilating. Her body heaved as she attempted to calm her breathing. She reached out to the other side of the bed to awaken her bed companion. Her breathing became heavier as she felt nothing. She panicked and clawed at her neck and chest more viciously.

She was alone.

She was alone.

She was alone.

“Dear heart?”

She stopped. Stopped breathing. Stopped convulsing. She stopped everything. The only sound she could hear was that of the blood pounding in her ears as she looked up. He was there, standing in the doorway to their ensuit. She moved with a speed she did not know that she possessed, out of the bed and into his arms. She clutched and clawed at him to feel him close to her. Her faced buried in his chest as tears fell onto his chest.

“You’re still here.” She croaked. Her nails dug into his back, but he said nothing of it.

“Yes, I am still here.” She felt a hand touch her back and the other stroke the back of her head.

“I thought…” she shook her head and hiccupped. “I don’t know what I thought.”

Wesker was silent for a moment. His fingers running through her hair. “Come.” He said and she allowed him to guide her back to the bed. He set her down before he sat on his side. She crawled to him and leaned he head against his shoulder. His hand resumed it previous activity and moved soothingly through her hair.

“What is it, Dear Heart?” he asked quietly.

Claire shook her head. “A nightmare, I think.” She chewed her nail. “I used to have them every night, before you came back..” she took a shaky breath. “I think that when you left the bed, it must have…” she gestured helplessly. “I don’t know, triggered something. You were gone, I panicked.”

His hand slid down to her shoulder and she felt him squeeze. “Claire.” She felt his breath tickle her face. “I am staying.” She thought she heard him say. His other hand lifter her chin and their lips met before she could continue the conversation. She felt more tears leak from her eyes and the hand reached up to wiped them away. She reached out and embraced him.

I want to believe you.

xXx

Wesker watched as his son chased the Ashford girl around the yard. It was the boys third birthday and Claire had turned the event into a gathering of family members and friends from Jake’s day care. Some of the other parents had tried to make small talk with him, but had for the most part avoided them. He had no desire to engage in small talk with those idiots. The only reason they were there was because Claire felt that it was good for the boy’s social development. While he could not deny her point, he still did not have to talk to the other parents.
He looked over to Claire who was chatting with one of the mothers. He was grateful that she was, for the most part, keeping the other parents busy. This was her ball park and he had no business in it. She noticed him watching her and sent him a smile, he felt his lips twitch and he sipped his drink.

“They missed you terribly, you know.” He tilted his head and looked over his glasses to see Elle standing beside him.

“Hn.” He replied. He looked back at his son who was now being chased by the Ashford girl and two other children.

“Has he spoken to you yet?” she asked pointing to his son.

“No.” he replied. It had been several months since he had come back and Jake had not said a word to him. Not a single one. Claire had attempted to get the boy to speak to him, even a ‘hello’, multiple times, but each time the boy had gone quiet and hidden behind his mother’s leg.

Elle sent him a sympathetic look. “He’ll come around. Belle talks to you, so he’ll eventually get the courage to speak to you.”

Wesker gave her no response and continued to watch the children play. It was strange, strange to see a child that looked so much like him running around happily. He could not remember ever being as happy as Jake when he was a child. It was poignant to watch.
Suddenly his son let out a scream and clutched the back of his father’s leg. Wesker looked down to see his son looking up at him with feigned fear.

“Daddy help! Alexis is going to get me!” Wesker wordlessly lifted the boy and held him out of the young Ashford’s reach.

Alexis looked up at Jake with a frown. “No fair! Daddy!” she stormed off in search of Al.

Jake hugged his father. “Thank you, Daddy.” He then jumped from Wesker’s grip and chased after Alexis and some other children.

Wesker ignored Elle and walked towards Claire who was watching him with a huge grin.

I’m glad he’s finally accepting you…

xXx

A ten-year-old Annabelle sat at the dinner table glaring down at her homework. Her eyes burned into the paper and Wesker and Claire, who were watching her, were very surprised that the paper had not spontaneously combusted. There was certainly enough fire in her eyes.

Claire elbowed Wesker and gestured for him to go to her. “It has to be either science or math that is giving her that expression.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t give me that look. Go. I do English and feminine problems. You do this stuff, if I help her she’ll end up failing. I sucked at math and science.”

Wesker walked to the table where his daughter was and sat beside her. He took his glasses off and set them on the table. He then looked at the page in the book that she was reading. Algebra. Lovely.

“Do you need assistance?” he asked.

Annabelle looked up and gave him a weak smile. “It’s easy, I know it’s easy. I just can’t seem to get my head around it.” She sounded tired, and frustrated.

“Would you like a milkshake?” Claire asked the two. Annabelle nodded while Wesker shook his head. Claire went about making the drink. While she waited for the milkshake maker to mix the drink she watched Wesker explain the mechanics of Algebra to his daughter. She smiled. He made the whole thing seem so easy.

When the machine had finished, she poured the milkshake into a glass and walked it over to the girl. “How are you doing?”

Annabelle smiled and gratefully accepted the glass. “Daddy’s better at explaining it than my teacher is.”

Claire felt her lips twitch.

Wesker’s did too.

As the years went by, Wesker would always explain things better than the teacher.

xXx

Claire’s eyes narrowed at Wesker who was standing on the opposite side of the kitchen. “They are coming tonight and you will be staying. Do you understand?” her voice pushed through her thin lips.

He raised a brow and crossed his arms.

“Who’s coming tonight?” came Annabelle’s voice as she poked her head into the kitchen.

Claire smiled and chopped some tomatoes. “Leon and Luis.”

The girl’s eyes went wide and her mouth hung open in a smile. Her hands pushed to her cheeks and she practically bounced excitedly. “Leon’s coming? I have to go get ready!” she bounded from the room and the sound of her feet racing up the stairs could be heard.

Claire chuckled and placed the tomatoes into the food processor. “I think she has a crush.” She said as she went about adding the other ingredients for the dinners sauce.

Wesker leaned against the pantry cupboard. His lips twitched. “So it would seem. “Unfortunately, Mr. Kennedy’s interests lie with another person entirely.” His eyes locked with Claire’s meaningfully. As though he expected her to know what he was referring to.

Claire’s brow creased in confusion and she turned her attention from the food. “What are you talking about?” her hand raised questioningly.

Wesker looked at her incredulously. “You don’t know? They are not even attempting to hide it.”

“Not even attempting to hide it? Hide what? And with who?” she snapped.

“Mr. Kennedy is clearly harbouring feelings for Mr. Sera.” He replied simply.

Claire froze. Her mind fizzled as it attempted to process what Wesker had just told her. Luis and Leon together? That had to be the single most ridiculous thing that he had ever suggested. “Why on earth would you suggest that?” she let out a chuckle. “Leon and Luis?” she shook her head. “That is the most insane thing you have ever said. Why would you say that?”

He raised a brow at her and tilted his head. “You mean that you cannot tell?” he seemed genuinely surprised at her reaction. “You have been in the room with them, have you not?”

Claire crossed her arms. “Yeah so what?” she shrugged. “They’re friends, sure they live together, but they’re nothing more than good friends.” She couldn’t picture Luis and Leon together. She wondered where Wesker could have gotten the idea from.

Wesker’s lip twitched. “Watch them tonight you’ll see.”

X

“Pass the salt please Leon.” Luis said from his spot beside government agent.

Claire watched as Leon picked the salt shaker and passed to Luis without taking his eyes off Annabelle who was describing her latest science project from school. The pair had been there for over an hour and Claire had yet to notice anything about the two. So far Leon had been chatting away to Annabelle and Luis had been talking to a star-struck Jake about guns. She glanced at Wesker who was eating his dinner silently. Their eyes locked and he smirked at her. She glared and looked back at the pair and suddenly she caught something. Their fingers, a light touch a glance of their eyes and a smile.
She frowned. It seemed so innocent, such a friendly thing to do, but something about it struck her. Her mind seemed to focus on the action and replay it constantly. She glanced at Wesker and his smirk seemed to grow. She narrowed her eyes at him and glanced back at the pair. Luis had asked for the water pitcher and Leon was passing it to him, their fingers touched and Claire felt her hairs stand on end as an electric feeling took her. What was this? How could she feel the electricity between the two?

Claire spent the rest of the evening observing the pair. Wesker’s words hung in her mind and multiple times Leon had asked her if she was alright because she wasn’t paying attention. When it was time for the two to leave they had said their goodbyes and she had gone about sending the children to bed. When all had been taken care of she had settled beside Wesker in her bed.

“You were very observant tonight Dear Heart.” He said simply as he typed something on his laptop.

Claire shot him a look and reached for her bedside table to for her book. “You gave me quite a lot to think about.”

“And?” he quipped. “Did you reach a conclusion?”

“Well,” she began while finding her page. “They’re in love, they just don’t know it yet.”

Waiting for those two became a source of great amusement for the pair.

xXx

“Dad.” An eighteen-year-old, Annabelle passed Wesker a sheet of paper. “Can you help me study for my test?” she sat on the couch beside him.

Wesker glanced over the sheet with a raised brow. “What are Glycerolipids?

She smirked at him. “Dad you don’t need to start with the easy stuff.” She leaned back in the couch. Glycerolipids are composed of mono-, di-, and tri-substituted glycerols, the best-known being the fatty acid triesters of glycerol, called triglycerides. The word "triacylglycerol" is sometimes used synonymously with "triglyceride". In these compounds, the three hydroxyl groups of glycerol are each esterified, typically by different fatty acids. Because they function as an energy store, these lipids comprise the bulk of storage fat in animal tissues. The hydrolysis of the ester bonds of triglycerides and the release of glycerol and fatty acids from adipose tissue are the initial steps in metabolizing fat.”

Wesker nodded and opened his mouth to ask another question when the sound of a door slamming. The pair looked over to see the eleven-year-old Jake storm into the living room. His fists were clenched and his face obscured by his hair- he looked like a typical brooding teenager.

“Something wrong kid?” Annabelle asked. She received a sharp glare and a ‘hmph’ in response before the young man stormed up the stairs and into his room with a slam of the door. She turned to her father with a raised brow. “What’s set him off?”

“Girlfriend problems?” Claire’s voice fluttered into the room as she walked in. “Poor thing, he said that he’s being having problems with his girlfriend…”

Annabelle let out a laugh. “Girlfriend problems? What kind of girlfriend problems could he have? He’s eleven!”

Wesker reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He dialled a number and placed the phone to his ear, after a few minutes he spoke. “Ms. Smith? I am in need of your services.” He was silent for a few moments. “Yes, bring them.” he then flipped his phone closed and placed it in his pocket. He looked at the two women watching him. “Is there something the matter? No? well then Belle, what are the biological function of biosynthesis?”

It was some thirty minutes later when Elle and Al walked in with Alexis in tow. The two elders sat themselves on the couch across from Wesker and Annabelle. Alexis greeted the two before she excused herself and walked up the stairs. It only took a few minutes before the sound of his laughter could be heard echoing down the stairs. Claire reached out and took Wesker’s hand, her eyes bright and a smile on her face.

Contrary to what some people say, sometimes a father knows exactly what his child needs.

xXx

Claire smiled at the horde of children who were running around the park. She looked around the park and saw some tables set up. Two covered with food and one covered with presents. She walked over to the present table and put the box in her hands down.

“Mum where’s Max?” Jake asked from beside her.

She looked around at the group of children who were now climbing on the climbing equipment. “He’s over there.” She pointed to a brown haired five-year-old who was wearing a Superman costume.

“Cool,” her son smiled. “I’ll go say hi.”

Claire watched Jake run to say hello to his cousin. She was glad that her son was able to come to the party, she was also glad that they knew him. Had things gone differently, she would not have been able to meet him. Sure things between herself and Chris were tense at times, but she was still happy that she got to see her brother and her nephew.

“Claire!” she jumped at the sound of her name. She looked over and saw Chris walking towards her.

“Hi Chris!” she hugged him.

“How are you?” he asked.

“I’m good thanks. How are you guys doing? It’s not every day your child turns five.” She looked over to Jill, who was chatting to some other parents, they nodded to each other. While things had improved between Chris and Claire, Jill had never been able to talk to Claire in the way that she used to- Claire understood, and while it was awkward at times, she accepted that it was not going to change.

“Time goes so fast.” Chris replied. He looked over at his son wistfully. “I remember when he barely fit in my hands.”

Claire smiled. “Soon you’ll be helping him pick colleges.”

Chris barked out a laugh. “I don’t even want to think about that.”

“It’s a nightmare,” Claire quipped. “Trust me, Belle’s doing it right now.”

Chris tsked. “Shit, now I feel old.” He ran his hand through his greying hair. “How is she?”

“She’s with her dad doing college tours today.” She froze as she realised what she had said. She clenched her fists and shakily turned to her brother. Before she could say anything, she found herself wrapped him a tight hug.

“I know Claire,” Chris said softly. “Jake talked about him years ago. Then Leon gave me a warning. I’ve known for years.”

Trembling Claire returned the hug. “I’m so sorry, Chris.”

“I love you Claire.” He replied softly. “So long as you’re happy and he’s not hurting you or anyone, I’m not going to do anything. For all the records say he’s dead.”

That was all she would ever need to know.

xXx

Claire looked at herself in the mirror. At seeing Chris and his greying hair she had began to think about her own mortality. She fingered her red hair, there wasn’t a single grey hair. Something about this made her paranoid. She was younger than Chris, but she wasn’t that much younger than Chris. She was nearing forty and she should have had at least one grey hair by now. Her eyes glanced at her skin. She did not even seem to have any wrinkles. Something about that made no sense. After all of the stress she had gone through in her life, one would assume that she would be going grey and have more than a few wrinkles by now. One could argue that she had not aged a day in years. She looked older, yes, but she looked older in the more mature way, she did not look the age that she knew she should look.

She looked behind her as the sound of the shower stopped. Wesker stepped out of the shower and reached for a towel. She watched as he dried himself. He looked same too, a little older than he had before he had died and was rebuilt. But all in all, he had barely aged a day as well. She narrowed her eyes, something in her stomach told her that he would be able to tell her exactly what she needed to know.

“Dear Heart?” Claire jumped. He must have noticed her staring.

“Why aren’t I aging?” she began. “You know something, don’t you? Please Albert.”

Albert was silent for a long period of time before he let out a sigh. His arm reached out and he pulled her to his wet chest. She was half tempted to push him away but she found herself sighing and closing her eyes, her arms moving to wrap around his waist.

“I can tell you, Claire.”

Years later, people would ask Claire why she was still with him, after everything that he had done to her… she would blame her forgiving personality, and her insane Redfield loving nature…

…breaking his nose helped too…

xXx

The death of a family member is never easy. The death of the family pet is no different. So, when Licker died, the mood of the family home was down. They decided to bury him outside, in the yard that he had spent so many years of his life playing in. Wesker and Jake had built a wooden cross and Annabelle and Claire had painted it with Licker’s name and pictures of bones.

“You were such a good boy…” Jake rubbed his wet eyes and placed a bone on top of the grave. At the feeling of a hand on his shoulder, he looked back to see his father standing there. He gave his father a weak, sad smile and looked back down at the grave.

Annabelle knelt down by the grave. “Licker…” she sobbed. “You were such a good dog, you were always there in the morning with a big smile. You always stole my food.” She laughed. “When I was sad, you were always there… I’ll miss you boy.”

Pets have and always will have a profound effect on the family… especially the children.

xXx

Years ago, Claire had begged Wesker to allow her to be there when Annabelle bought her boyfriend home to meet him. Claire had waited a very long time for that day to come. She had given up hope, until at the age of twenty-three, Annabelle announced that she was going to bring home a man. Not just any man, but the man that ‘she was going to spend the rest of her life with’. Upon seeing the lovely amethyst ring on the girl’s finger, Claire and Wesker knew she was serious.

“How could she know that he’s the one?” Claire spoke her concerns aloud as she paced the kitchen. “It’s her first boyfriend.” She opened the oven and inspected the roast chicken and the vegetables.

She closed the oven and continued her pacing. She noticed Wesker pouring himself a glass of scotch. She snatched the glass from him and downed the drink. She cringed as the liquid burned her throat. She slammed the glass down and gestured for Wesker to pour another. Which he did with a chuckle. “How are you taking this so well?” she snapped. “Some random guy, who we have never even heard of, let alone met, is engaged to our Belle!”

Wesker sipped his drink. “I’m sure he’s positively thrilled by the whole scenario.” Claire looked over to Elle who was leaning against the wall. “I know Al is.” She gestured to Al, who was sitting at the dining room table, a sour expression on his face.

Claire downed her drink. “We have to be nice.” She pulled a face, at the taste of the alcohol or at the prospect of being nice was unknown. “Belle would never forgive us if we were rude.”

“She is showing a lack of respect.” Wesker said before taking a sip of his drink.

“In her defence.” Elle began. “If you were my father, Uncle Albert, I would be terrified to bring home a man. Maybe she was waiting until she had met the perfect man to bring him home? I mean, you are scary.” She picked up an apple from the fruit basket and took a bite. “She was probably scared that you’d turn her boyfriends into a test subject.”

“An apt assumption.” Wesker commented nonchalantly.

“Mum, Dad. They’re here~” Jake sang. The boy was clearly enjoying this more than he should have. He smirked at the adults and walked off to the table with Alexis.

Claire downed another drink before moving to take the roast out of the oven. “Here we go.”

X

Annabelle walked into the dining room hand in hand with a man. The man was older, he looked to be in his thirties. His hair was sandy blonde, short and brushed neatly, though it showed as though on a normal day it would be completely out of control. He was tall, almost as tall as Wesker, and lean. He was dressed in a nice suit and, were it not for the fact that he was considerably older than her, he seemed to complement her. His grey eyes crinkled as he smiled at the congress of people waiting to meet him.

Annabelle waved to her family and gestured to the man beside her. “Mum, Dad, everyone. This is Royd Wilkes. My fiancé.”

The man, Royd, held out his hand to Wesker and offered a bright smile. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Whittman. Belle speaks highly of you.” To his credit, Royd’s smile did not falter when Wesker did not take the offered hand.

Claire discreetly kicked Wesker and reached a hand out to him. “I’m Claire.”

Royd’s smile, if possible, grew. “Lovely to meet you.”

After the introductions were through, the meal began…

“So how did you two meet?” Claire asked. “Belle hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with information.” She noticed Annabelle’s sheepish look through the corner of her eyes. “Did you meet at her college?”

Royd glanced at Annabelle briefly before looking back at Claire. “We met in the campus library.” He smiled as Annabelle’s hand touched his. “We both reached for the same book and we started talking from there.”

Elle’s brows creased. “Are you a student?” she noticed, curiously, that Annabelle stiffened.

“No, I teach English, literature.” He took a sip of his drink and gave Annabelle’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

Wesker and Al made a sound simultaneously. It sounded suspiciously like a snort and caused the women to glare at their spouses.

“Hey, you reckon you could help me with my homework?” Jake asked while chewing on a potato. He noticed the looks he received from the other occupants of the table. “What?” he gestured with his hands. “The man’s an English teacher- I’m failing English, it’s almost divine intervention.” He looked at his sister. “Good job on snagging a teacher- is this how you got your grades?” he teased.

Annabelle bristled and clenched her fists. Claire watched as Royd placed his hand atop hers reassuringly. Before turning his attention to Jake. “I’d be more than happy to help with your homework.” Claire wondered if anything could ruffle the man. He was so pleasant!

…Later on in the evening, the women found themselves sitting in the living room with Annabelle. Some people would call their gathering ‘girl talk’, others would call it interrogation.

“So someone older?” Elle asked slyly.

Annabelle’s cheeks reddened. “Yes. He’s older. He makes me happy.”

“What does he do that makes you happy?” Claire asked. She then realised how she sounded. “I mean, do you have anything in common? How much older than you is he?”

Annabelle sighed. She had been expecting this. “He’s fifteen years older.” At the expression on Claire’s face she held a silencing hand up. “Don’t, it doesn’t bother me.” A dreamy look took her face. “He’s wonderful. He knows me, he knows when how I need things, when I need things. He knows me better than I think I know myself. He reads… he reads to me… he’s so beautiful.” She sighed and looked through the glass door to the patio where he was with the other men.

“So…” Elle began cheekily. “What’s he like in bed?”

“Elle!” Claire shrieked.

X

At the sound of shrieking laughter from inside, Royd looked inside and locked eyes with Annabelle who looked slightly distressed. He sent her a reassuring smile. He then turned back to the other men who were standing outside.

“So,” Al began, taking a drag of his cigarette. “Why Belle, what do you get out of this?”

A warm smile took Royd’s face. “She’s a wonderful, caring person. I don’t deserve her, but she, for some reason, wishes to be part of my life.”

“You are right.” Al replied. “You don’t deserve her.”

“Alfred.” Wesker interjected. “You have your own problems to deal with.” He pointed over to a tree in the yard. Al looked to where the finger was pointed. His mouth hung open and the cigarette fell to the ground. There, by the tree, his daughter had Jake pinned and was placing open-mouthed kisses down the other teen’s neck.

“Son of a bitch.” Al murmured before storming off.

As the sounds of Alfred Ashford shouting filled the yard, Wesker turned to the man who was not much younger than himself. He was tempted to take his glasses off for an added effect of what he was about to say, but decided against it.

“If you hurt her, I will kill you.” It wasn’t a threat, it was a promise.

“I would expect you to.” The man replied.

“You will not make her sad.”

Royd smiled. “It is my goal to make her happy every day. Her pain is my pain. I want her to be always happy.”

“Dad?” Annabelle walked out onto the patio.

Wesker eyed his daughter as though in thought. He eventually leaned forward and placed a kiss on his daughter’s fore head. Without saying anything else he walked back inside. Annabelle watched her father with wet eyes.

“Why are you crying love?” Royd touched her wet cheek.

Annabelle smiled. “I’m happy love.” She leaned up and kissed him on the nose. “I’m happy.”

X

Claire smiled sweetly at Wesker. She had watched the entire exchange from the living room. “You’re a sap.” He looked almost offended at her words. “Relax, I won’t tell your secret.”

His lips twitched. “Dear Heart, you are more of a ‘sap’ than I ever shall be.”

She grinned. “Yeah, but you love this sap.”

He smiled.

Description
Disclaimer: I do not own Resident Evil.

Moments

xXx

Claire lunged forward in her bed. Her mouth gasped for air as her body trembled. A cold sweat coated her body and she clutched at her chest. She continued to suck in air in a way not dissimilar to hyperventilating. Her body heaved as she attempted to calm her breathing. She reached out to the other side of the bed to awaken her bed companion. Her breathing became heavier as she felt nothing. She panicked and clawed at her neck and chest more viciously.

She was alone.

She was alone.

She was alone.

“Dear heart?”

She stopped. Stopped breathing. Stopped convulsing. She stopped everything. The only sound she could hear was that of the blood pounding in her ears as she looked up. He was there, standing in the doorway to their ensuit. She moved with a speed she did not know that she possessed, out of the bed and into his arms. She clutched and clawed at him to feel him close to her. Her faced buried in his chest as tears fell onto his chest.

“You’re still here.” She croaked. Her nails dug into his back, but he said nothing of it.

“Yes, I am still here.” She felt a hand touch her back and the other stroke the back of her head.

“I thought…” she shook her head and hiccupped. “I don’t know what I thought.”

Wesker was silent for a moment. His fingers running through her hair. “Come.” He said and she allowed him to guide her back to the bed. He set her down before he sat on his side. She crawled to him and leaned he head against his shoulder. His hand resumed it previous activity and moved soothingly through her hair.

“What is it, Dear Heart?” he asked quietly.

Claire shook her head. “A nightmare, I think.” She chewed her nail. “I used to have them every night, before you came back..” she took a shaky breath. “I think that when you left the bed, it must have…” she gestured helplessly. “I don’t know, triggered something. You were gone, I panicked.”

His hand slid down to her shoulder and she felt him squeeze. “Claire.” She felt his breath tickle her face. “I am staying.” She thought she heard him say. His other hand lifter her chin and their lips met before she could continue the conversation. She felt more tears leak from her eyes and the hand reached up to wiped them away. She reached out and embraced him.

I want to believe you.

xXx

Wesker watched as his son chased the Ashford girl around the yard. It was the boys third birthday and Claire had turned the event into a gathering of family members and friends from Jake’s day care. Some of the other parents had tried to make small talk with him, but had for the most part avoided them. He had no desire to engage in small talk with those idiots. The only reason they were there was because Claire felt that it was good for the boy’s social development. While he could not deny her point, he still did not have to talk to the other parents.
He looked over to Claire who was chatting with one of the mothers. He was grateful that she was, for the most part, keeping the other parents busy. This was her ball park and he had no business in it. She noticed him watching her and sent him a smile, he felt his lips twitch and he sipped his drink.

“They missed you terribly, you know.” He tilted his head and looked over his glasses to see Elle standing beside him.

“Hn.” He replied. He looked back at his son who was now being chased by the Ashford girl and two other children.

“Has he spoken to you yet?” she asked pointing to his son.

“No.” he replied. It had been several months since he had come back and Jake had not said a word to him. Not a single one. Claire had attempted to get the boy to speak to him, even a ‘hello’, multiple times, but each time the boy had gone quiet and hidden behind his mother’s leg.

Elle sent him a sympathetic look. “He’ll come around. Belle talks to you, so he’ll eventually get the courage to speak to you.”

Wesker gave her no response and continued to watch the children play. It was strange, strange to see a child that looked so much like him running around happily. He could not remember ever being as happy as Jake when he was a child. It was poignant to watch.
Suddenly his son let out a scream and clutched the back of his father’s leg. Wesker looked down to see his son looking up at him with feigned fear.

“Daddy help! Alexis is going to get me!” Wesker wordlessly lifted the boy and held him out of the young Ashford’s reach.

Alexis looked up at Jake with a frown. “No fair! Daddy!” she stormed off in search of Al.

Jake hugged his father. “Thank you, Daddy.” He then jumped from Wesker’s grip and chased after Alexis and some other children.

Wesker ignored Elle and walked towards Claire who was watching him with a huge grin.

I’m glad he’s finally accepting you…

xXx

A ten-year-old Annabelle sat at the dinner table glaring down at her homework. Her eyes burned into the paper and Wesker and Claire, who were watching her, were very surprised that the paper had not spontaneously combusted. There was certainly enough fire in her eyes.

Claire elbowed Wesker and gestured for him to go to her. “It has to be either science or math that is giving her that expression.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t give me that look. Go. I do English and feminine problems. You do this stuff, if I help her she’ll end up failing. I sucked at math and science.”

Wesker walked to the table where his daughter was and sat beside her. He took his glasses off and set them on the table. He then looked at the page in the book that she was reading. Algebra. Lovely.

“Do you need assistance?” he asked.

Annabelle looked up and gave him a weak smile. “It’s easy, I know it’s easy. I just can’t seem to get my head around it.” She sounded tired, and frustrated.

“Would you like a milkshake?” Claire asked the two. Annabelle nodded while Wesker shook his head. Claire went about making the drink. While she waited for the milkshake maker to mix the drink she watched Wesker explain the mechanics of Algebra to his daughter. She smiled. He made the whole thing seem so easy.

When the machine had finished, she poured the milkshake into a glass and walked it over to the girl. “How are you doing?”

Annabelle smiled and gratefully accepted the glass. “Daddy’s better at explaining it than my teacher is.”

Claire felt her lips twitch.

Wesker’s did too.

As the years went by, Wesker would always explain things better than the teacher.

xXx

Claire’s eyes narrowed at Wesker who was standing on the opposite side of the kitchen. “They are coming tonight and you will be staying. Do you understand?” her voice pushed through her thin lips.

He raised a brow and crossed his arms.

“Who’s coming tonight?” came Annabelle’s voice as she poked her head into the kitchen.

Claire smiled and chopped some tomatoes. “Leon and Luis.”

The girl’s eyes went wide and her mouth hung open in a smile. Her hands pushed to her cheeks and she practically bounced excitedly. “Leon’s coming? I have to go get ready!” she bounded from the room and the sound of her feet racing up the stairs could be heard.

Claire chuckled and placed the tomatoes into the food processor. “I think she has a crush.” She said as she went about adding the other ingredients for the dinners sauce.

Wesker leaned against the pantry cupboard. His lips twitched. “So it would seem. “Unfortunately, Mr. Kennedy’s interests lie with another person entirely.” His eyes locked with Claire’s meaningfully. As though he expected her to know what he was referring to.

Claire’s brow creased in confusion and she turned her attention from the food. “What are you talking about?” her hand raised questioningly.

Wesker looked at her incredulously. “You don’t know? They are not even attempting to hide it.”

“Not even attempting to hide it? Hide what? And with who?” she snapped.

“Mr. Kennedy is clearly harbouring feelings for Mr. Sera.” He replied simply.

Claire froze. Her mind fizzled as it attempted to process what Wesker had just told her. Luis and Leon together? That had to be the single most ridiculous thing that he had ever suggested. “Why on earth would you suggest that?” she let out a chuckle. “Leon and Luis?” she shook her head. “That is the most insane thing you have ever said. Why would you say that?”

He raised a brow at her and tilted his head. “You mean that you cannot tell?” he seemed genuinely surprised at her reaction. “You have been in the room with them, have you not?”

Claire crossed her arms. “Yeah so what?” she shrugged. “They’re friends, sure they live together, but they’re nothing more than good friends.” She couldn’t picture Luis and Leon together. She wondered where Wesker could have gotten the idea from.

Wesker’s lip twitched. “Watch them tonight you’ll see.”

X

“Pass the salt please Leon.” Luis said from his spot beside government agent.

Claire watched as Leon picked the salt shaker and passed to Luis without taking his eyes off Annabelle who was describing her latest science project from school. The pair had been there for over an hour and Claire had yet to notice anything about the two. So far Leon had been chatting away to Annabelle and Luis had been talking to a star-struck Jake about guns. She glanced at Wesker who was eating his dinner silently. Their eyes locked and he smirked at her. She glared and looked back at the pair and suddenly she caught something. Their fingers, a light touch a glance of their eyes and a smile.
She frowned. It seemed so innocent, such a friendly thing to do, but something about it struck her. Her mind seemed to focus on the action and replay it constantly. She glanced at Wesker and his smirk seemed to grow. She narrowed her eyes at him and glanced back at the pair. Luis had asked for the water pitcher and Leon was passing it to him, their fingers touched and Claire felt her hairs stand on end as an electric feeling took her. What was this? How could she feel the electricity between the two?

Claire spent the rest of the evening observing the pair. Wesker’s words hung in her mind and multiple times Leon had asked her if she was alright because she wasn’t paying attention. When it was time for the two to leave they had said their goodbyes and she had gone about sending the children to bed. When all had been taken care of she had settled beside Wesker in her bed.

“You were very observant tonight Dear Heart.” He said simply as he typed something on his laptop.

Claire shot him a look and reached for her bedside table to for her book. “You gave me quite a lot to think about.”

“And?” he quipped. “Did you reach a conclusion?”

“Well,” she began while finding her page. “They’re in love, they just don’t know it yet.”

Waiting for those two became a source of great amusement for the pair.

xXx

“Dad.” An eighteen-year-old, Annabelle passed Wesker a sheet of paper. “Can you help me study for my test?” she sat on the couch beside him.

Wesker glanced over the sheet with a raised brow. “What are Glycerolipids?

She smirked at him. “Dad you don’t need to start with the easy stuff.” She leaned back in the couch. Glycerolipids are composed of mono-, di-, and tri-substituted glycerols, the best-known being the fatty acid triesters of glycerol, called triglycerides. The word "triacylglycerol" is sometimes used synonymously with "triglyceride". In these compounds, the three hydroxyl groups of glycerol are each esterified, typically by different fatty acids. Because they function as an energy store, these lipids comprise the bulk of storage fat in animal tissues. The hydrolysis of the ester bonds of triglycerides and the release of glycerol and fatty acids from adipose tissue are the initial steps in metabolizing fat.”

Wesker nodded and opened his mouth to ask another question when the sound of a door slamming. The pair looked over to see the eleven-year-old Jake storm into the living room. His fists were clenched and his face obscured by his hair- he looked like a typical brooding teenager.

“Something wrong kid?” Annabelle asked. She received a sharp glare and a ‘hmph’ in response before the young man stormed up the stairs and into his room with a slam of the door. She turned to her father with a raised brow. “What’s set him off?”

“Girlfriend problems?” Claire’s voice fluttered into the room as she walked in. “Poor thing, he said that he’s being having problems with his girlfriend…”

Annabelle let out a laugh. “Girlfriend problems? What kind of girlfriend problems could he have? He’s eleven!”

Wesker reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He dialled a number and placed the phone to his ear, after a few minutes he spoke. “Ms. Smith? I am in need of your services.” He was silent for a few moments. “Yes, bring them.” he then flipped his phone closed and placed it in his pocket. He looked at the two women watching him. “Is there something the matter? No? well then Belle, what are the biological function of biosynthesis?”

It was some thirty minutes later when Elle and Al walked in with Alexis in tow. The two elders sat themselves on the couch across from Wesker and Annabelle. Alexis greeted the two before she excused herself and walked up the stairs. It only took a few minutes before the sound of his laughter could be heard echoing down the stairs. Claire reached out and took Wesker’s hand, her eyes bright and a smile on her face.

Contrary to what some people say, sometimes a father knows exactly what his child needs.

xXx

Claire smiled at the horde of children who were running around the park. She looked around the park and saw some tables set up. Two covered with food and one covered with presents. She walked over to the present table and put the box in her hands down.

“Mum where’s Max?” Jake asked from beside her.

She looked around at the group of children who were now climbing on the climbing equipment. “He’s over there.” She pointed to a brown haired five-year-old who was wearing a Superman costume.

“Cool,” her son smiled. “I’ll go say hi.”

Claire watched Jake run to say hello to his cousin. She was glad that her son was able to come to the party, she was also glad that they knew him. Had things gone differently, she would not have been able to meet him. Sure things between herself and Chris were tense at times, but she was still happy that she got to see her brother and her nephew.

“Claire!” she jumped at the sound of her name. She looked over and saw Chris walking towards her.

“Hi Chris!” she hugged him.

“How are you?” he asked.

“I’m good thanks. How are you guys doing? It’s not every day your child turns five.” She looked over to Jill, who was chatting to some other parents, they nodded to each other. While things had improved between Chris and Claire, Jill had never been able to talk to Claire in the way that she used to- Claire understood, and while it was awkward at times, she accepted that it was not going to change.

“Time goes so fast.” Chris replied. He looked over at his son wistfully. “I remember when he barely fit in my hands.”

Claire smiled. “Soon you’ll be helping him pick colleges.”

Chris barked out a laugh. “I don’t even want to think about that.”

“It’s a nightmare,” Claire quipped. “Trust me, Belle’s doing it right now.”

Chris tsked. “Shit, now I feel old.” He ran his hand through his greying hair. “How is she?”

“She’s with her dad doing college tours today.” She froze as she realised what she had said. She clenched her fists and shakily turned to her brother. Before she could say anything, she found herself wrapped him a tight hug.

“I know Claire,” Chris said softly. “Jake talked about him years ago. Then Leon gave me a warning. I’ve known for years.”

Trembling Claire returned the hug. “I’m so sorry, Chris.”

“I love you Claire.” He replied softly. “So long as you’re happy and he’s not hurting you or anyone, I’m not going to do anything. For all the records say he’s dead.”

That was all she would ever need to know.

xXx

Claire looked at herself in the mirror. At seeing Chris and his greying hair she had began to think about her own mortality. She fingered her red hair, there wasn’t a single grey hair. Something about this made her paranoid. She was younger than Chris, but she wasn’t that much younger than Chris. She was nearing forty and she should have had at least one grey hair by now. Her eyes glanced at her skin. She did not even seem to have any wrinkles. Something about that made no sense. After all of the stress she had gone through in her life, one would assume that she would be going grey and have more than a few wrinkles by now. One could argue that she had not aged a day in years. She looked older, yes, but she looked older in the more mature way, she did not look the age that she knew she should look.

She looked behind her as the sound of the shower stopped. Wesker stepped out of the shower and reached for a towel. She watched as he dried himself. He looked same too, a little older than he had before he had died and was rebuilt. But all in all, he had barely aged a day as well. She narrowed her eyes, something in her stomach told her that he would be able to tell her exactly what she needed to know.

“Dear Heart?” Claire jumped. He must have noticed her staring.

“Why aren’t I aging?” she began. “You know something, don’t you? Please Albert.”

Albert was silent for a long period of time before he let out a sigh. His arm reached out and he pulled her to his wet chest. She was half tempted to push him away but she found herself sighing and closing her eyes, her arms moving to wrap around his waist.

“I can tell you, Claire.”

Years later, people would ask Claire why she was still with him, after everything that he had done to her… she would blame her forgiving personality, and her insane Redfield loving nature…

…breaking his nose helped too…

xXx

The death of a family member is never easy. The death of the family pet is no different. So, when Licker died, the mood of the family home was down. They decided to bury him outside, in the yard that he had spent so many years of his life playing in. Wesker and Jake had built a wooden cross and Annabelle and Claire had painted it with Licker’s name and pictures of bones.

“You were such a good boy…” Jake rubbed his wet eyes and placed a bone on top of the grave. At the feeling of a hand on his shoulder, he looked back to see his father standing there. He gave his father a weak, sad smile and looked back down at the grave.

Annabelle knelt down by the grave. “Licker…” she sobbed. “You were such a good dog, you were always there in the morning with a big smile. You always stole my food.” She laughed. “When I was sad, you were always there… I’ll miss you boy.”

Pets have and always will have a profound effect on the family… especially the children.

xXx

Years ago, Claire had begged Wesker to allow her to be there when Annabelle bought her boyfriend home to meet him. Claire had waited a very long time for that day to come. She had given up hope, until at the age of twenty-three, Annabelle announced that she was going to bring home a man. Not just any man, but the man that ‘she was going to spend the rest of her life with’. Upon seeing the lovely amethyst ring on the girl’s finger, Claire and Wesker knew she was serious.

“How could she know that he’s the one?” Claire spoke her concerns aloud as she paced the kitchen. “It’s her first boyfriend.” She opened the oven and inspected the roast chicken and the vegetables.

She closed the oven and continued her pacing. She noticed Wesker pouring himself a glass of scotch. She snatched the glass from him and downed the drink. She cringed as the liquid burned her throat. She slammed the glass down and gestured for Wesker to pour another. Which he did with a chuckle. “How are you taking this so well?” she snapped. “Some random guy, who we have never even heard of, let alone met, is engaged to our Belle!”

Wesker sipped his drink. “I’m sure he’s positively thrilled by the whole scenario.” Claire looked over to Elle who was leaning against the wall. “I know Al is.” She gestured to Al, who was sitting at the dining room table, a sour expression on his face.

Claire downed her drink. “We have to be nice.” She pulled a face, at the taste of the alcohol or at the prospect of being nice was unknown. “Belle would never forgive us if we were rude.”

“She is showing a lack of respect.” Wesker said before taking a sip of his drink.

“In her defence.” Elle began. “If you were my father, Uncle Albert, I would be terrified to bring home a man. Maybe she was waiting until she had met the perfect man to bring him home? I mean, you are scary.” She picked up an apple from the fruit basket and took a bite. “She was probably scared that you’d turn her boyfriends into a test subject.”

“An apt assumption.” Wesker commented nonchalantly.

“Mum, Dad. They’re here~” Jake sang. The boy was clearly enjoying this more than he should have. He smirked at the adults and walked off to the table with Alexis.

Claire downed another drink before moving to take the roast out of the oven. “Here we go.”

X

Annabelle walked into the dining room hand in hand with a man. The man was older, he looked to be in his thirties. His hair was sandy blonde, short and brushed neatly, though it showed as though on a normal day it would be completely out of control. He was tall, almost as tall as Wesker, and lean. He was dressed in a nice suit and, were it not for the fact that he was considerably older than her, he seemed to complement her. His grey eyes crinkled as he smiled at the congress of people waiting to meet him.

Annabelle waved to her family and gestured to the man beside her. “Mum, Dad, everyone. This is Royd Wilkes. My fiancé.”

The man, Royd, held out his hand to Wesker and offered a bright smile. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Whittman. Belle speaks highly of you.” To his credit, Royd’s smile did not falter when Wesker did not take the offered hand.

Claire discreetly kicked Wesker and reached a hand out to him. “I’m Claire.”

Royd’s smile, if possible, grew. “Lovely to meet you.”

After the introductions were through, the meal began…

“So how did you two meet?” Claire asked. “Belle hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with information.” She noticed Annabelle’s sheepish look through the corner of her eyes. “Did you meet at her college?”

Royd glanced at Annabelle briefly before looking back at Claire. “We met in the campus library.” He smiled as Annabelle’s hand touched his. “We both reached for the same book and we started talking from there.”

Elle’s brows creased. “Are you a student?” she noticed, curiously, that Annabelle stiffened.

“No, I teach English, literature.” He took a sip of his drink and gave Annabelle’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

Wesker and Al made a sound simultaneously. It sounded suspiciously like a snort and caused the women to glare at their spouses.

“Hey, you reckon you could help me with my homework?” Jake asked while chewing on a potato. He noticed the looks he received from the other occupants of the table. “What?” he gestured with his hands. “The man’s an English teacher- I’m failing English, it’s almost divine intervention.” He looked at his sister. “Good job on snagging a teacher- is this how you got your grades?” he teased.

Annabelle bristled and clenched her fists. Claire watched as Royd placed his hand atop hers reassuringly. Before turning his attention to Jake. “I’d be more than happy to help with your homework.” Claire wondered if anything could ruffle the man. He was so pleasant!

…Later on in the evening, the women found themselves sitting in the living room with Annabelle. Some people would call their gathering ‘girl talk’, others would call it interrogation.

“So someone older?” Elle asked slyly.

Annabelle’s cheeks reddened. “Yes. He’s older. He makes me happy.”

“What does he do that makes you happy?” Claire asked. She then realised how she sounded. “I mean, do you have anything in common? How much older than you is he?”

Annabelle sighed. She had been expecting this. “He’s fifteen years older.” At the expression on Claire’s face she held a silencing hand up. “Don’t, it doesn’t bother me.” A dreamy look took her face. “He’s wonderful. He knows me, he knows when how I need things, when I need things. He knows me better than I think I know myself. He reads… he reads to me… he’s so beautiful.” She sighed and looked through the glass door to the patio where he was with the other men.

“So…” Elle began cheekily. “What’s he like in bed?”

“Elle!” Claire shrieked.

X

At the sound of shrieking laughter from inside, Royd looked inside and locked eyes with Annabelle who looked slightly distressed. He sent her a reassuring smile. He then turned back to the other men who were standing outside.

“So,” Al began, taking a drag of his cigarette. “Why Belle, what do you get out of this?”

A warm smile took Royd’s face. “She’s a wonderful, caring person. I don’t deserve her, but she, for some reason, wishes to be part of my life.”

“You are right.” Al replied. “You don’t deserve her.”

“Alfred.” Wesker interjected. “You have your own problems to deal with.” He pointed over to a tree in the yard. Al looked to where the finger was pointed. His mouth hung open and the cigarette fell to the ground. There, by the tree, his daughter had Jake pinned and was placing open-mouthed kisses down the other teen’s neck.

“Son of a bitch.” Al murmured before storming off.

As the sounds of Alfred Ashford shouting filled the yard, Wesker turned to the man who was not much younger than himself. He was tempted to take his glasses off for an added effect of what he was about to say, but decided against it.

“If you hurt her, I will kill you.” It wasn’t a threat, it was a promise.

“I would expect you to.” The man replied.

“You will not make her sad.”

Royd smiled. “It is my goal to make her happy every day. Her pain is my pain. I want her to be always happy.”

“Dad?” Annabelle walked out onto the patio.

Wesker eyed his daughter as though in thought. He eventually leaned forward and placed a kiss on his daughter’s fore head. Without saying anything else he walked back inside. Annabelle watched her father with wet eyes.

“Why are you crying love?” Royd touched her wet cheek.

Annabelle smiled. “I’m happy love.” She leaned up and kissed him on the nose. “I’m happy.”

X

Claire smiled sweetly at Wesker. She had watched the entire exchange from the living room. “You’re a sap.” He looked almost offended at her words. “Relax, I won’t tell your secret.”

His lips twitched. “Dear Heart, you are more of a ‘sap’ than I ever shall be.”

She grinned. “Yeah, but you love this sap.”

He smiled.