Authors Note: I really couldn't help myself with this one, I heard the song and immediately thought of Claire and Leon. I don't always like them together, but they do have a lot of tension between them that needs to be solved. Hopefully, others see that their relationship could have turned out this way. As soon as I get all these songfics out of my system, I do plan on continuing to view their relationship in a chapter story. This story takes place in 2006, a year after the incident at Harvardville. Thanks to all my readers, and please take the time to rate and review.

I don't own Resident Evil regretfully, or it's characters and events. Lyrics to The Best Of Me belong to The Starting Line.

Tell me what you thought about when you were gone
And so alone
The worst is over
You can have the best of me
We got older
But we're still young
We never grew out of this feeling that we won't give up

Leon pushed his dirty blonde hair out of his eyes as he gazed upon the picture in his gloved hands. It was of an older time, where he was still young and naïve. Well…sort of naïve. He was dressed in cheap clothing, laughing next to a nineteen year old Claire, and a twelve year old Sherry. He could still remember that day. The day after their escape from Raccoon City.

The R.P.D. rookie reached into his wallet, and pulled out some cash. They had just made it to a new town, and looked worse for the wear. He looked the worst, with the gunshot wound to the shoulder and all. He handed it to Claire, and tilted his head towards the Walmart. "I'm a 32 in the waist. Can you see about getting me something to wear other than this uniform? I don't look exactly normal around here. I could also do with a sling, and a first aid kit. You and Sherry look like you could use a change of clothes too."

Claire took the money and nodded. "Yeah no problem, but don't forget to let me pay you back." Leon just laughed. "After the night we had in Raccoon City, I think that is the least of our problems." She just rolled her eyes, and hurried to find their supplies. Sherry accompanied her, and they returned shortly with several bags. "Now we just have to find a hotel room to fix ourselves up."

After showers between the three of them, and much needed stitches from Claire, they all looked much better. Better enough to go out exploring for a while. They all needed to feel normal again, even just for a few moments. That was when Claire spotted the picture booth. One of those cheesy ones, where all it takes is some change to get a strip of photos. Just to value being alive, they all clustered together in the booth, making funny faces and just laughing. The strip of photos was then cut up, and divided amongst them, so they wouldn't forget.

His thumb gently traced over Claire's smiling face, remembering how long it had been since he had last seen it. Many things had happened since then, but the worst was over wasn't it? It was hard to believe that eight years had passed since that fateful night. Sighing, he leaned against the pillows in his bed, and pulled out his cell phone.

Here we lay again
On two separate beds
Riding phone lines
to meet a familiar voice
And pictures drawn from memory
We reflect on miscommunications
And misunderstandings
And missing each other too
Much to have had to let go

Claire rolled over onto her side as her cell phone started to ring. Her hair was a tousled mess from her restless sleep, as she had worked a double shift at TerraSave. She sleepily reached for her phone, almost knocking it off of the bedside table before she could answer it. Holding it to her ear, she rasped out a hello.

Leon smiled on the other end, "Hello Claire. I didn't wake you did I?" Claire shot up in her bed, instantly more awake at the sound of his voice. "Leon? No, no it's fine." She rested her back against her pillows, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "How are you doing rookie?" Her voice was soft as she made herself more comfortable.

"I can't believe you're still calling me that, but pretty good. What about you?" His eyes still lingered over the photo from years ago, as his mind recalled how she looked a year ago in Harvardville. Or how she looked after Rockfort Island, when he pressed his lips to hers in order to comfort her about Steve.

Claire laughed gently. "I couldn't help myself Mr. Secret Agent. When I met you, you were just a rookie. Maybe I'll always remember you in your blue uniform. All innocent and such. But I'm alive and well." She toyed with the wrinkles in her sheets, her mind wandering to the past. He had looked rather flattering in his R.P.D. uniform, although she had to say he looked much better in Harvardville than he did all those years ago. He had definitely muscled up, and let his hair grow out a bit.

Leon was shaking his head on his end, but laughing all the same. "You're something else Claire. I was never innocent. If anything, you were the innocent one, not even old enough to drink at the time. But I'm glad to hear you well."

Claire scoffed. "You always act like you're so much older than me Leon. It's only a two-year difference. Not that it matters now since I'm 27 years old."

After a few more minutes of meaningless chatter, the line went silent. Both ends were pondering what to say next.

Turn our music down
And we whisper
"Say what you're thinking right now"

Claire's slightly breathy voice reached his ear, "Say what you're thinking right now." A smile met his lips, lighting up his handsome face. "Thinking of you. I miss you Claire." He waited for a moment before continuing. "I wish you were here. "

She switched the cell phone to her other ear, taking in his words. His voice had gotten her through many rough patches over the years, and it seemed that he was coming to her rescue once again. Just like always.

Tell me what you thought about when you were gone
And so alone
The worst is over
You can have the best of me
We got older
But we're still young
We never grew out of this feeling that we won't give up

"What are you thinking about Claire?" She paused for a moment, not really wanting to share. "Claire?" Sighing, she pushed her auburn bangs out of her tired eyes. "That night in the S.T.A.R.S. office when I let you make me not so innocent anymore." Her mind reverted once more to the man she had met all those years ago, in the R.P.D. uniform. Her mind also recalled that he looked better without it on.

Leon's eyes went wide. "Really? Do you ever regret it?" He also recalled that night. How Claire felt that death was starting to look eminent, and didn't want to die a virgin. She explained how Chris had kept boys away from her since she was a kid. When he had asked what she was thinking, he expected the same response he had given. Definitely not that memory.

Claire shook her head and laughed, even though he couldn't see it. "Do I regret doing it on my brother's desk? Never. Just don't tell him about that." Even though that was the only time they were together in that manner, she thought about it often. It wasn't her idea for things to end the way that they had.

"Claire…we can still have that. I never wanted us to fall apart."

Jumping to conclusions
Made me fall away from you
I'm so glad that the truth has brought back together me and you

Leon thought about how their relationship had faltered after Claire learned of Sherry's capture from the government. There was still no word of her whereabouts, but they had long since quit blaming each other. "I want us to be as close as we were."

We're sitting on the ground and we whisper
"Say what you're thinking out loud"

He drew his long legs up to his chest, and wrapped his free arm around them, resting his cheek on them lightly. "I know we're both busy…but I want to make this work." He breathed a sigh of relief as he made his thoughts finally known. The thoughts that he had held in for so long.

Tell me what you thought about when you were gone
And so alone
The worst is over
You can have the best of me
We got older
But we're still young
We never grew out of this feeling that we won't give up

"You know what else I thought about?" Claire breathed. "How terrified I was when you left on missions. How terrified I was that every time you called before leaving that it would be the last time I ever heard your voice." Her hands were shaking, and her knees too found their way to her chest, much like Leon's. She rested upon them, breathing deeply to calm herself. "I don't know that I can deal with that Leon."

"The worst is over Red," Leon said gently, using an old nickname in the hopes of cheering her up. "I won't give up after all we've been through."

Turn our music down
And we whisper
We're sitting on the ground
And we whisper
We turn our music down
We're sitting on the ground
The next time I'm in town
We will kiss girl
We will kiss girl

"I'll be home soon. I have a vacation for a while." He spoke of his second home near Claire's own. He had bought it for any time he had off in a futile attempt to grow closer to her. He had been chasing her for years it seemed.

Claire smiled weakly, "That's great…Come over as soon as you get here."

Tell me what you thought about when you were gone
And so alone
The worst is over
can have the best of me
We got older
But we're still young
We never grew out of this feeling that we won't
Feeling that we can't
That were not ready to give up

"I don't want to give up either Leon. I guess I've loved you since that fateful night that brought us together. We can make this work…can't we?" Her voice held slight doubt, but was strong all the same. Just like she was. It was that strength that had drawn Leon to her from the very beginning. Well that, and those short pink shorts of hers, of course.

We got older, but we're still young
We never grew out of this feeling that we won't give up

He grinned, thinking of how hopefully when he came home, she would finally make an honest man out of him. He thought of the diamond platinum ring in the velvet box, resting inside his bedside table. Life was too short to spend so long apart.

"Claire…you always did get the best of me. I love you sweetheart. I'll see you soon, so get some rest."

A click met her ears as the call ended, and she dropped flat on her back, clutching the phone to her chest. She reached a hand over to the nightstand, withdrawing a well worn photograph. It was very similar to Leon's, except in this one she was kissing his cheek as Sherry made a gagging face.

She laughed, "We may have gotten older Leon, but we're still young."