This story goes out to the love of my life, Monica. I wrote this for her birthday. I didn't mean for it to be so long, but once I started writing, I couldn't seem to stop!

As well, it's been a while since I've played RE2, so there definitely are going to be a few things that are different than the game. For one, I'm pretty sure Wesker's desk was in the same room as the others. But, for the sake of my story, I changed it.

Happy birthday, Monica. I hope you enjoy this. I love you. :)

People say that you don't realize what you have until it's gone. Twenty one years into my life, I never once found myself believing that. I guess that's because I never had anyone torn out of my life before. Okay, so I don't have any of my grandparents, but when they passed, I was so young, I barely even remember who they were. And both my parents are alive and well. The only soul I've ever lost in my life had been my family dog, Mal.

So of course I was in no way prepared for the destruction and chaos that became of Raccoon City that fateful night in September of '98. Okay, so I didn't know the people who had died, I had never met any of them in my life. But still, it all haunts me to this day. The entire time I couldn't help but think, 'what were their final moments?' I don't recall seeing any bullet wounds other than the ones my own standard handgun inflicted, so I just assumed they all met their demise by being eaten alive. The thought alone makes me shudder. All those innocent people, being torn apart and helpless to stop the assault…

That one night in hell changed my life forever. I had no idea that waking up late for my first day on the force could come as such a blessing. If I had gotten up on time, I might've been one of the many fallen of Raccoon City. Or worse, I never would've met her.

Our meeting was completely by chance. If she had entered Raccoon City a minute later, or if I hadn't taken that turn through the alley, we might've never met. Or she might've perished from that zombie bastard I saved her from. I never thought I would be so happy to see another person in my life. Sorry, living person. But there she was, her fiery red hair tied up in a ponytail, aviator sunglasses resting on top of her head, and those tiny little biker shorts. My goddess in the form of a nineteen year old college student.

She said she was looking for her brother, Chris. And almost immediately I could see the worry and fear in her eyes. I'm sure the fact that the city her brother lived in was being taken over by the undead was a big factor in that, but I knew she was worried for her brother's safety. And right away I felt admiration for the determined girl. After losing contact with him, she left school, and traveled to Raccoon City to find him.

"Screw my classes. If something's wrong with my brother, everything else can go straight to hell."

Had she really not yet realized she was already in hell?

I could see that she could stand on her own. The cop in me (yes, even though it was only my first day, there was still a cop inside of me) didn't want to split up with her. I know, it's not the olden days where a woman needs a man to protect her, but still, I felt like it was my duty to do so. But we would cover more ground if we split up. So we decided to do just that. I swear, every corner I turned from that moment on, I hoped and prayed to God that I would see her. But no, I didn't. I could only hope she was okay. But I saw the determination in her steel blue eyes. I knew that she was not going to give up until she found out what happened to her brother. And I knew that she was going to make it out of this hell hole alive, regardless of whether or not I was there beside her.

Leon closed the officer door to the S.T.A.R.S. office and took relief in the fact that he was alone. No zombies, thank God. Unfortunately, there were also no living people to calm his nerves. He wasn't about to lie to himself, this had been his last hope. S.T.A.R.S. members had to be alive. They were trained to survive the most ridiculous situations; shouldn't they have been prepared for this?

Yeah, because how to survive a zombie apocalypse 101 is always taught in training.

Leon couldn't help but roll his eyes at how ridiculous the thought sounded. Anyway, even if there were S.T.A.R.S. members that were still alive, he had no doubt that they would be scouring the city, searching for civilians to shield from danger. They wouldn't be cooped up in their office, huddled together like frightened children.

So why the hell are you still here? Get back out there and search for survivors. Better yet, get back out there and find Claire. For all you know, she might be the only survivor besides you. And you just let her walk away to be eaten by those rotting bastards. Way to go, Kennedy.

Leon cursed under his breath and began to walk to the door before something caught his eye. That jacket on the wall…'Made in Heaven.' Why did that sound so familiar?

Claire's jacket suddenly flashed in his mind.

Wait, didn't Claire say her brother was a member of S.T.A.R.S.? Maybe this was Chris's desk.

Leon made his way over to it. Sure enough, a framed picture of Claire and Chris sat on the messy wooden desk. It was Claire at her high school graduation. That must not have been too long ago, Leon figured. He picked up the frame and looked closer. Chris's arm was resting protectively across Claire's shoulders as they both smiled for the camera. He saw the look in Chris's eyes and recognized it almost immediately. Pride.

He sat the picture down and found a journal under a mess of open CD cases. All of which were empty, by the way. He picked it up and flipped through the pages, curious as to what could be written inside. He closed it almost immediately when he realized it was Chris's journal.

You're already creeping on the man's sister. Let's not look at his personal writing, shall we?

He was about to put the journal down when the door swung open. He dropped it back onto the mess that sat on top of the desk and without thinking, grabbed a hold of his handgun. It was aimed and ready to fire at the door in seconds. His heart settled back into his chest when he saw Claire throw her hands up.

"Geez, relax, Leon. It's only me." Claire locked the door behind her. You can never be too sure.

Leon slid his gun back into his holster and scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I'm just a little jumpy. You never know what the hell is going to pop up next in this place."

"Tell me something I don't know. I never thought I would be so terrified of a dog until I met those dogs outside." She shuddered at the thought and changed the subject as soon as she could. It was all she could do to keep herself from going crazy. "So, it looks like we both had the same idea." She said, looking around the S.T.A.R.S. office.

A small smile spread across her pale lips as memories of this office flooded back to her. She remembered how proud Chris had been when she had first visited him here. He brought her around to everyone and introduced her. She had to admit, he worked with some amazing people. She wondered where they all were now. Safe somewhere, she hoped.

"Here, I found this on your brother's desk. I looked through it. I mean, I didn't mean to, but I was a little curious. Not gonna lie. Anyway, from the looks of it, he's not here." Leon handed her the journal he found on Chris's desk.

A huge grin exploded onto Claire's face almost immediately. "Oh my God, you're kidding me. Chris kept a journal? That man never fails to surprise me. I swear, he's never going to hear the end of this when I find him."

Leon took a seat on the edge of Chris's desk and crossed his arms over his chest. He watched her face light up as she flipped through the journal, amusement written all over her delicate features. Loose strands of her auburn red hair fell over her forehead as her eyes skimmed the pages before her. Was it weird that he felt a sudden urge to reach out and tuck them behind her ears?

Yes, Kennedy. Yes it is.

"I take it you and your brother are close." Someone had to break the silence that filled the room.

Claire glanced up from the journal and nodded. "Yes. He's my only family. I would go to the fiery pits of hell and back for him." She stretched her arms out to either side of her. "And clearly, I have."

Leon chuckled under his breath. Shit, was that the first time he laughed since arriving in this hellhole? "I wouldn't know the feeling. I'm lucky enough to be an only child."

Claire walked around him and took a seat in Chris's chair. She looked up at him, placing her brother's journal on her lap. God, it felt good to talk. To just pretend that everything around them wasn't going to hell. Even for a moment. "I couldn't imagine my life without my brother. I mean, when we were growing up, we didn't get along very well. He would always tease me and pretty much make my life a living hell. But when our parents died, he really stepped up. I know for a fact that I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for him. He was always there when I needed him, no questions asked." Her voice lowered to a whisper as her eyes fell to the ground. "I just wish he would have told me what was going on instead of keeping it from me. That isn't like Chris at all."

Leon pushed himself off the desk and crouched down in front of Claire. He looked up at her, her clear blue eyes hiding behind tears. The sight of it broke his heart. He couldn't stand to see women cry. And he couldn't stand seeing the fiery, determined girl before him start to break down.

Before he could stop himself, he reached up and tucked her bangs behind her ear. He lifted his other hand towards her and cupped her cheeks in his hands. His gloves prevented him from feeling the warmth and comfort of another person, but his unshielded finger tips felt all he needed.

Claire sucked in a deep breath and stared into his eyes. If she thought the sight of the undead stumbling towards her stopped her heart from beating, she was in for one hell of a surprise. Were people even allowed to be this good looking?

"Claire, I'm sure whatever he hid from you, he had good reason to. He was no doubt trying to protect you from something that would probably only end up hurting you. I saw that picture of you two on his desk. I've never met the man, and I only just met you tonight, but that simple picture told me all I needed to know about your relationship. He would do anything for you, and I'm sure he'd kill anyone who ever thought about hurting you. I know it's going to be hard, but you need to focus your thoughts and energy on yourself. You need to get out of here. If not for me, then for your brother. Think about how pissed he'd be if he found out his only sister rose from the dead."

Claire stared into his eyes, speechless. It must have only been for a few seconds, but God did it seem like hours passed them as she stared endlessly into those ocean blue eyes. What would it feel like to take a chance and do something crazy? Something she would never normally even think about doing?

Well, what's holding you back? First of all, neither of you might live to see another day. Secondly, even if you do, you'll probably never see the guy again. He's just a random who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just like you.

Claire didn't know if the same thing was going through his mind. But no one looks at a girl that way and means nothing by it. Or at least, no one should.

Stop overanalyzing and do it already!

Claire gathered whatever courage she had left and closed the space between herself and the rookie cop.

She felt him stiffen against her when her lips crushed against his, felt his fingers twitch as they held her face gently within them. But as she slid her tongue across his teeth, begging for entrance into his warm mouth, she felt him relax. That's when she was sure he had been thinking the same thing.

He opened his mouth to her and let her tongue find his. He let his knees fall to the floor, supporting his body weight as his fingers dragged through her hair. His calloused fingers reveled in the feel of the soft strands. How was it possible that they were even softer than he had imagined?

She moaned against his mouth as her hands found his broad shoulders. Her fingertips caressed his neck, nails gently scraping against warm skin. Oh God, how good it felt to feel another person right now. Another warm, living person who wasn't trying to eat her alive.

Leon didn't break the lip lock as he let his hands fall past her waist. He grabbed a steady hold of her thighs, and in one swift motion, lifted her up.

Claire wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs encircling around his hips for support as he turned around and sat her on the edge of the desk behind him.

Their lips parted only for a moment. Leon edged forward, his body aching for her touch, when she pressed her hands against his chest to stop him.

His crotch ached. He tried desperately not to think of Claire Redfield in her current state. Her swollen lips, her soft, silky white legs surrounding him on a desk. Fuck, this was not working.

"What's wrong?" Did he even want to hear the answer to that?

"I can't do this. Not here."

It took a few seconds for it to register. But when it did, Leon understood what she meant. And though he would never admit it, relief swam through his entire body. She didn't want to have sex on her brother's desk.

"It feels kind of weird, no? I mean, I feel like he's watching me and shaking his head disapprovingly right now."

"So what do you want to do then, Claire?"

"You." She said simply. Her answer caught him completely off guard. All the blood in his body rushed to one area. And by God if he didn't get to release it anytime soon, being gnawed on by zombies would be considered a peaceful way to go.

Claire pushed off the desk and grabbed a hold of Leon's hand. She led him past all the desks and carefully opened a closed door at the end of the room. Cautiously, she flicked on the light and searched the room for any unwanted surprises. All clear.

"Captain Wesker's office seems a little more private, don't you think?" Claire said, moving over to the desk. She boosted herself onto the edge and swung her cowboy boots back and forth as they hovered inches over the floor. "I've never really been that fond of him, anyway. I mean, really, who wears sunglasses inside?"

Leon couldn't help but smirk. Damn, this girl was definitely something else. If he had met her in any other situation…well, he would be one hell of a lucky guy. But no, of course he hadn't. Not with his kind of luck, anyway. He had to meet her in a zombie infested town where they were both more than likely to meet their doom.

"You're pretty ballsy for such a small girl."

Claire shook her head, returning the smile. "I assure you I'm no little girl." The gathering of her hair behind her swung back and forth, catching Leon's attention.

He reached forward without saying a word. He grabbed a hold of a hair tie and gently pulled it through her hair.

Leon watched as her red strands fell past her shoulders. Smooth, straight, and somehow he knew that if he took a whiff of it, it would smell amazing.

Claire tilted her head back as Leon ran a hand through her hair. She closed her eyes and purred in her throat.

"I've been wondering what you would look like with your hair down since I met you."

She opened her eyes and stared into his. The fear and desperation that had lurked in her eyes since arriving was no more. Instead, Leon only saw want and need. It was a look he was definitely enthusiastic about getting from her.

Claire knew exactly what this was. This was two people, stuck in a hopeless situation with little to no hope for survival, with a fiery need to feel alive. One last time. To feel connected to another being in the most intimate way possible. To feel warm skin against warm skin. To remind themselves they're still alive and of all they have to fight for.

"We probably don't have much time. We should do this as quickly as possible." Claire reminded him as he leaned over her. She lifted her arms and rested her hands on his shoulders, bringing him down to meet her lips.

Leon's hands roamed her body as he continued to kiss her. Hard, desperate kisses. Kisses that left him questioning if he could even hold on long enough to have sex with her.

Claire leaned back slightly, pushing her hips into his. He groaned against her teeth as she began to grind herself against him. She could feel him, swollen and bulging from his pants, and felt heat sweep through her entire body.

Leon unzipped the front of Claire's vest, slipping his hands under it to slide it down her arms. His aching fingers found her breasts, listening to her soft whimpers as he kissed her. She arched her back as he stroked her nipples through her thin, black shirt. Throaty moans told him he was doing everything right.

Then something struck Leon as hard as a brick wall. And suddenly, all he could think was fuck.

"What's wrong, Leon?"

"I…I don't have a condom." He said blankly. God damn stupid idiot!

Claire frowned. "How does someone who looks like you not have a condom on him?"

Leon took a step back from Claire and ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't think I'd need it. What with this being my first day on the job, and all."

Claire jumped off the edge of the desk and exited the room, raising her voice so Leon could hear her as she walked back into the S.T.A.R.S. office. "No worries. Back when I used to visit Chris, one of the well known ladies men that work with him would always hit on her. Forest would always tell me, 'Claire, if Chris ever does something to piss you off, I've got a box of condoms in my desk with your name on it. Just in case you ever want to get back at him.'"

Leon scoffed and rolled his eyes. Well, didn't Forest sound like a swell guy?

Claire came back into the room and closed the door behind her. She held a small package in her hand, a smirk spread across her lips. "Forest was well known for never lying."

Leon didn't waste any time getting Claire back on Wesker's desk. He couldn't afford to. Only God knew how much more time they could steal in the S.T.A.R.S office. If he had all night with her, God, the things he would do to that little body. The thing he could do. He would taste every inch of her and leave her begging for him to put an end to it all. But that wasn't an option. All he could do was enjoy what he had right now and make the most of whatever time they had together.

Claire watched him from heavy eyes as he unzipped the front of her pink shorts. She lifted her hips off the desk as Leon took her biker shorts, black shorts, and panties off in one swift motion. She must have given him a surprised look as he reached for his own belt.

"Hey, you said be fast."

She smiled in response as he dropped his pants to his ankles. He let his boxers follow and felt Claire's eyes fall to his cock. He grabbed a hold of it, stroking it firmly as he looked at her, legs spread wide open for him.

Claire swallowed the spit that had gathered at the back of her throat. She had only been with one man her whole life. Her high school boyfriend, whom she had dated for four years. And now, here she was, about to have sex with a complete stranger.

But every thought in her mind vanished when she felt Leon's finger run along her slit. He repeated the movement, taking pleasure in how slick she already was.

He leaned into her, his mouth against her ear as he whispered. "I just wanted to see if you were ready for me."

Claire opened her mouth to respond to him. But as he slid a finger inside of her, only a moan came out. She reached for his shoulders, digging her nails into his uniform shirt as he pushed his finger into her, only to slowly, painfully, slide it back out.

With her heart racing frantically in her chest, she bit her bottom lip as he added another finger inside of her.

"Oh, God." Claire couldn't bit back her approving moans.

While his fingers continued to thrust into her, his dampened thumb found her clit. He rubbed it in gentle circles, picking up pace as her moans grew louder in his ear.

"Leon. We really should hurry."

In any other situation, her urgency would have insulted the rookie. But she was right. They didn't have time for foreplay, no matter how much they would have liked it.

He took the condom and slid it onto himself, giving himself another stroke as he admired Claire. He closed the space between them again and took in a deep breath to steady himself. He took a gentle hold of the small of Claire's back with one hand, while he held his cock in the other.

He felt Claire's grip on his arms tighten as he rubbed the tip of his cock along her lips. She was already so slick with moisture, he slid into her effortlessly.

Claire sucked in a deep breath as Leon thrust into her. His fingers felt good moments ago, but this just felt absolutely amazing.

Claire rocked her body against Leon, shutting her eyes tightly as she let her head roll back. She tried to suppress her moans, desperate to keep the noise down to remain hidden from the threats overtaking the city. But she couldn't help it. He filled her completely, stretching her around him with each desperate thrust.

Leon kept his hands braced on Claire's hips, his fingers digging into her skin. With each time he nearly withdrew from her tight embrace, he slammed himself back into her. He told himself to stay steady, to last as long as he could. But he knew time was not on their side.

"Oh, God, Claire. You're so fucking tight." Leon groaned. Each passing minute made it damn near impossible to hang on for another.

Claire smiled and leaned back onto the desk. Her elbows held her upper body up as she opened her eyes to watch Leon.

His narrow hips moved in rhythm against her as he grunted. His fingers dug deeps into Claire's skin and would most definitely leave marks. But she didn't care. She bit down on her bottom lip, the pain from Leon's fingers arousing her even more.

"Come here." Leon ordered.

Claire pushed herself up and obeyed the rookie's order. One hand left her hips to cup her beautiful, soft face. His lips found hers again, his entire body on fire as he moved against her.

He felt so strong as he held onto her. She nearly crumbled right there. Leon stood so strong and brave against the undead that lurked outside for them. He shot them effortlessly, quickly coming to her aid whenever she needed him. And here he was, kissing her and holding onto her as if she were as delicate as a feather.

Her hands roamed his broad chest, his wide shoulders sending a shiver down her spine. Claire shut her eyes and let her feelings overwhelm her. Claire felt herself come closer to the edge, her entire body begging to be released.

"Leon…"

He knew she was close. He could hear the intoxication in her voice. And God help him, he was painfully close too.

Leon moved faster against her, slamming into her with everything he still had left. He felt her tighten around him, squeezing him more than before as her entire body let go. She let her head fall back as Leon continued to thrust into her, lengthening her orgasm.

"That's it, Claire. Come for me."

He left her breathless, her lungs desperate for air as her body began to relax. Her heart continued to flutter in her chest as Leon kissed her, his body aching for his own release. She remained tightly wrapped around him, and moments later, he found himself nearly buckling from the long awaited release.

Leon leaned over Claire as they both panted for air. He rested his forehead against hers as he steadied himself. They stayed there, only for a moment. And in that moment, all felt right around them.

They weren't two strangers who met on the worst day of their lives. They weren't struggling for survival against the unimaginable. They were two young lovers just trying to calm their racing heart beats and trying to catch their breath.

But when something fell to the ground from the room above them, they were brought back to harsh reality. Leon pulled away from Claire and slid the condom off, tossing it away into the trash can beside the desk.

They remained silent as they got dressed, neither one of them knowing what to say to the other. It was nice to pretend, even just for a few moments, that they might actually live to see another day. But the harsh reality that they most likely wouldn't was almost too much to handle.

"You have enough ammunition, right?" Leon finally asked as he double checked his handgun. Claire looked up at him as she zipped her vest closed. "You'll be alright?"

She nodded and picked up her handgun from the floor. Fully dressed, she double checked her ammunition and nodded. "I'll be fine. Let's find a way out of this hellhole."

Leon noticed she had tied her hair back up. It was a pity. She looked damn good with it down.

Together, they walked through the S.T.A.R.S. office, eerie silence surrounding them as they passed empty desks. Claire picked up Chris's journal and slid it into her pocket as she reached for the door handle. She glanced back when Leon spoke from behind her.

"Don't die on me, now, Claire."

She forced a smile. "I won't. The same goes for you. Meet you on the flipside, Leon."