Walking Into Doors, a resident evil fanfic

Author's Note: This story is set in a slightly AU before the mansion incident takes place. It's just a little idea that popped into my head after imagining Leon working for the R.P.D. before the chaos began. It's not really romantic, but situations like this rarely are. Hopefully I'll be able to find something less dramatic soon. Rate and Review?

On a side note, I do not own Resident Evil, or its characters. I also don't own the lyrics to Face Down by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

One look puts the rhythm in my hand.
Still I'll never understand why you hang around
I see what's going down.

Leon looked up from the paperwork on his desk, giving Claire a smile as she walked past. She smiled back happily, before continuing on her way to the S.T.A.R.S. office. He watched her walk away, a slightly sad look in his eyes. He was well aware that she was on her way to see the captain of Alpha team, Albert Wesker. The rookie cop didn't really understand what it was that she saw in that man. He found him to be rather creepy himself.

Leon continued to work on his papers, until he heard footsteps approaching quickly. He looked up to see Claire with her head down, auburn hair falling into her face. She walked right past him without a word, causing his features to wrinkle in concern. He jumped up from his desk to grab her by the arm. "Claire…are you alright?"

Claire paused in her step, still keeping her head down. "I'm fine," she told him quietly. The blonde looked at her in disbelief, and gently grabbed her by the jaw. He tilted her face up to his, sweeping her hair away from her obviously red cheek. He grazed the mark tenderly with his fingertip, seeing her wince. "Did he hit you?"

She shook her head fiercely, forcing a smile upon her features. "No, he would never do that. The door hit me on my way out is all. I've got to go." She gently removed his fingers from her arm, and continued her hurried pace out of the Raccoon Police Department.

Leon stared after her with a frown, before turning to glare at the door to the S.T.A.R.S. office. "Why do you stay with that idiot Claire? He'll never change." He resumed his work at his desk, rubbing at his forehead with a sigh.

Cover up with makeup in the mirror
tell yourself, it's never gonna happen again
You cry alone and then he swears he loves you.

Claire opened the door to her apartment, and turned all the lights on before heading into the bathroom. She stared at herself in the mirror, and pulled her hair up into a high ponytail. With a slight frown, she gazed at the now purpling bruise on her left cheek. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she brushed them away before they had a chance to fall. "It's my fault anyway."

She grabbed coverup from her makeup bag, and slowly started to smooth it over the bruise. After adding foundation, blush, and a touch of lip gloss, she smiled. "There, just like new." Claire looked away from the mirror upon hearing a ringing in another room of the apartment. She rushed to answer the telephone, answering with a soft "hello".

"Dear heart…I'm sorry about today. I overreacted when I shouldn't have."

Claire smiled sweetly at his apology. "It's fine, I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have surprised you at work like that. I should have called, knowing how busy you are."

"I've got to get back to work, just called to say I love you."

"I love you too. Bye Albert." Claire hung up the phone, and rested on the couch. She would be returning to college soon, and didn't want to leave things with him on a sour note. She would go and apologize again in person to him tomorrow.

Do you feel like a man when you push her around?
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end
as your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.

Leon gulped down his coffee, preparing for his morning shift. He had a plan to go and visit Claire after work today. He really needed to talk to her about Wesker. It just wasn't a healthy relationship. He shrugged into his uniform and headed to the R.P.D.

As he walked past the S.T.A.R.S. office, he heard arguing coming from inside. After staring at the door for a few moments, he watched as a sniffling Claire walked out. Her neck was horribly red, as though she had been grabbed by the throat.

She straightened up after noticing Leon, rubbing a hand over her face. "Hey Leon," she said, fake cheer heavy in her voice. She tried her best not to wince as his fingers rubbed over her neck. "Walk into a door again Claire?"

Claire looked up into his youthful face. "It's not what you think. He doesn't mean it Leon. He's just been really overworked lately."

Leon shook his head at her. "I'm stressed too. It doesn't make me want to beat you."

"I can handle this. Stop worrying okay?" She patted his shoulder gently before walking off.

A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect
every action in this world will bear a consequence
If you wade around forever, you will surely drown
I see what's going down.

Claire straddled her motorcycle, leaning forward on it to stare up at the approximate location of the S.T.A.R.S. office. She was having a fierce battle in her mind, replaying Leon's words over again in her head. Maybe he was right about all of this.

She looked at her neck in her side mirror, staring as the marks began to turn purple. It was quite obvious now that she had been grabbed. The finger shaped bruises proved that. Claire was just glad that Chris was off on a mission. She wasn't sure how he would react, but knew it would probably cost him his job.

Then again, that was how she had gotten into this mess. She never would have met Wesker, had she not been visiting her brother at work. Shaking her head to clear her mind, she stood up once again. "Leon is right. I don't deserve this. I need to go talk to him."

Oddly enough, Leon had the same idea, and went straight into the S.T.A.R.S. office.

I see the way you go and say you're right again,
say you're right again
Heed my lecture.

The young cop knocked on the door of the captain's office, before just entering. Wesker looked up from his desk, a scowl evident on his face. "Yes?"

Leon stepped closer to the desk. "How could you put your hands upon a woman? She obviously cares for you, yet you continue to treat her like shit."

Wesker rose from the desk angrily, "How dare you come into my office and question me. I am your superior."

Leon didn't appear to be frightened of the intimidating man in the least, despite their rankings. "Right now, I don't care about that. What I do care about is Claire."

The captain of alpha team smirked, and walked closer to Leon. "Well she doesn't care about you. I own Claire, nothing you do will change that."

Anger caused Leon's blood to boil, and his hand to clench into a fist. Before he knew it, he was punching Captain Wesker in the face. His ever present sunglasses flew off his face from the impact, clattering to the floor. A thin line of blood ran down the corner of his mouth, and he absentmindedly licked it away. His grey eyes swirled with rage as Leon stepped away and towards the door.

"Stay away from Claire."

That was the last straw for Wesker really. Nobody told him what to do.

Claire heard the commotion and broke into a run, her boots thudding heavily against the tiled floor. She burst into Wesker's office, just in time to see his retaliation.

Wesker kicked Leon roughly in his back, hard enough to send him to the floor. He groaned, and rolled onto his stomach. Claire rushed to kneel at his side, making sure that he was okay. "Just what have you been telling people dear heart?"

The man that she had once loved knelt to pick up his sunglasses, sliding them upon his face. She looked up at him in disgust, and helped Leon to his feet. "Nothing at all. But perhaps I should start. How could you do this?"

Her mouth opened to say something else, but promptly shut as he backhanded her. A whimper passed through her lips as she clutched the already injured cheek, and stumbled back a few feet. Leon grabbed her arm to steady her, but she just looked at Wesker broken hearted.

"You're a monster."

Face down in the dirt, she said,
"This doesn't hurt", she said,
"I finally had enough."
[x2]

"I suppose next time you'll listen, and let me do my work dear heart." Wesker pushed his sunglasses back on the bridge of his nose, straightening his gloves.

"You can't hurt me anymore. I can't do this anymore." Claire turned her back upon him, and walked out of his office. Leon turned to follow, but stopped as a hand wrapped itself around his upper arm. "I'm not done with you. We'll meet again Kennedy. If I were you, I wouldn't be looking forward to it."

Leon looked back at him cooly, and brushed away his hand. "I'm looking forward to beating your face in." The usually non-confrontational rookie spun on his heel and left the office without another word.

One day she will tell you that she has had enough
It's coming round again.

Leon quickly caught up to a quietly crying Claire, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Here…let me take you home." She sniffled and nodded, wiping the tears off of her cheeks. She let him lead her to his jeep, and climbed in the passenger seat. Claire buckled herself in silently, and gave him directions to her apartment.

After about ten minutes, he was walking her to her door. She slipped her key into the lock, opening the door. "Would you like some coffee?" Leon looked at her slightly surprised, but nodded all the same. He closed the door quietly behind himself, looking around in silence. She gestured for him to sit anywhere, before heading to the kitchen.

Within minutes she brought him a cup of steaming coffee, sitting next to him on the couch. Leon gratefully took a swig before noticing she was staring. All of a sudden she was launching herself at him, arms wrapping tight around his neck. "Whoa there." Leon set the mug of coffee on the floor, gently patting her back. She was crying again, but managed to calm herself. She looked up into those warm eyes of his, and murmured only one thing. "Thank you."

"No problem." He patted her head delicately. "I couldn't just stand by."

His gaze found the phone once it started to ring, and Claire leaned over him to answer it. She sighed as a familiar voice met her ears.

"Dear heart…you know I didn't mean it."

"No. I can't anymore. I've finally had enough." She hung up the phone without hearing another word. Leon nodded at her approvingly.

"I had never understood why you bothered with him. You're way too good for him Claire."

Claire turned her gaze to Leon. He had become her friend over the course of her many R.P.D. visits. She always stopped to talk to him after they had first met. There was just something about him that drew her to him. "I'm starting to see that now Leon."

"I've always seen it." Leon's voice was a mumble, but Claire perked up at his words anyway.

"Leon…you're too good for me." It was his turn to perk up, a laugh falling from his lips.

"I'm glad you're not falling for his sweet words anymore."

Claire lightly punched his arm. "Nope, now I'm making fun of yours."

Face down in the dirt, she said,
"This doesn't hurt", she said,
"I finally had enough."

"Hey Claire?"

"Yeah Leon?"

"…I love you."

"I know." Claire's smile met his nervously laughing mouth perfectly. His fingers tenderly stroked her non-bruised cheek, before he pulled away.

"I like loving you," Claire whispered into his lips. "Yeah?" he replied.

"Yeah…this doesn't hurt."

Leon pulled her tight into his chest. "And I'll never hurt you."