So here's an attempt at a Resident Evil fic; I've left my comfort zone of writing Legacy of Kain fics, and decided to try this series out for size. I've read tons of fics lately and, although the Wesker/Chris pairings are one of my favorites, I really like the Wesker/Claire pairings as well. I'm not good at writing Yaoi (or anything sexual in that matter, probably because I feel weird doing so -_-) Any who, this is a romance/drama fic with Wesker and Claire. They meet through Chris, and things change for the better. Wesker might not be capable of saying, "I love you," but I'm sure he can love…it's somewhere in his heart. Takes place during STARS and might go further into the series. I'll leave you to it, and won't go too much into detail…enjoy…

Note: Italics will be used for thoughts and or flashbacks. (If any, I haven't decided yet.) Rating might change later :P

The Redfields

It was ten till 7 in the chilled morning, as Chris drove his black Jeep down the sleek streets of Raccoon City. The markets were open and running; numerous early bird customers came in and out of the stores as he passed a small shopping center. He drove passed the downtown area and caught a glimpse of several rugged, homeless citizens around a lit drumcan, huddled close together with their frost-bitten fingers desperately and dangerously nearing the orange flames for warmth.

Chris sighed. He reached down and picked up his cup of lukewarm coffee, taking a drink. Chris smacked his lips a few times before setting the cup down; too much creamer. Had he not been entirely hungover, he would've realized that the creamer lid was not entirely on, and instead of slowly squeezing the container, Chris smashed it in his grip, sending a spray of white into his black. The result: a light-brown, cavity causing, caffeine filled, cup o' Joe. It didn't matter to Chris. All he needed was a jumpstart for a few hours, anything to keep him awake; all he needed was his dear captain to give him more than his share of shit—God forbid he made the mistake of falling asleep.

He pulled into the RPD parking lot, tires skidding against the sleek asphalt as he made a sharp turn to park next to Jill's Civic. He grabbed his STARS duffle back and jumped out of his Jeep. He leaned into the driver's side mirror and made sure his hair looked decent, that his eyes didn't look too blood-shot…

"Oops…" he muttered, noticing the dark red smudges along his collar bone that managed to peek out just above his t-shirt. He threw the duffle over his shoulder in hopes of hiding the "bites," and proceeded into the precinct.

Inside he was greeted by the young and beautiful receptionist, Rachel; she'd only been around for a couple weeks, but Chris made sure to leave his mark. Though they weren't in anything serious, Chris had a philosophy: Never leave any territory unmarked. Nothing was more insulting than getting another man's seconds. He rubbed his "bites," trying to hide them as he passed her desk, smiling awkwardly…

"Good morning, officer Redfield," Rachel said in a playful manner. "Did ja have a good weekend?"

Fuck.

Chris was torn between stopping to speak with Rachel and making up some excuse to head to his office. Not that he wanted to do either, but the latter gave him an excuse to dismiss the blond. A hard slap on the shoulder made him jump slightly.

"Hey, fuck-face! Don't you look especially cute today?"

Forest.

"You bastard," Chris whispered and took a breath. "You scared me half to death." Then, remembering about Rachel, Chris gave a follow-my-lead look, and walked with Forest to the STARS offices.

"Is she looking?" Chris said when they were out of ear-shot. Forest turned slightly, and shook his head.

"She's on the phone." He smiled and eyed Chris. "You tryin' to get away from her or what?"

"Flavor of the week, Forest. You know how that is." He adjusted the strap on his duffle back and nodded to a few passing officers. "I told her it was nothing serious. She agreed."

A resonant "Ahhhh," escaped Forest. "I see…that's how it's done, sugar plum." He gave Chris a noogie and was swatted away. "You're learning from the best." Forest propped the collar of his vest.

Chris shook his head. "Get out of here with that." They arrived at the STARS offices—both Bravo and Alpha had their doors propped open with a trash bin. Chris entered Alphas'; Forest right behind. Jill was typing away at the computer, and that meant one of two things: either she was doing research for God knows what, or she was looking up shit she wasn't supposed to. Chris glanced at her computer screen as he passed before putting his bag down at his desk.

Macy's website. Figures…

"Shouldn't you be getting Wesker's coffee, Jill?" Chris taunted as he took a seat and booted up his computer. Forest took a seat beside Chris in Barry's empty chair, pressing his lips together to suppress a laugh.

"Shouldn't you be putting some makeup on those tramp-hickeys on your neck, Chris?" Her tone was harsh; she didn't turn around. But Chris saw her grin off her computer screen's reflection and chuckled. "Besides, Wesker's not in yet."

"Ooooh, someone's touchy," Forest teased as he pulled a blank paper and pencil from Barry's drawer and began to draw. "What's your problem, Jill?"

She spun around this time. "Nothing. You know that's how we Alphas are, Forest. Speaking of which, why are you here? Bravo covers the night shift." Forest opened his mouth to reply. "Oh, wait, let me guess…doing a double shift?"

"Nah, not Forest. C'mon, Jill," Chris said as he logged onto the STARS database. "You know he can't do that."

"Ha, ha, ha," Forest mocked before sticking his tongue out. He was drawing a face with droopy eyelids and the eyebrows…he erased the thin eyebrows he originally drew and replaced them with thick ones. "Well, if it means anything to your inquiring minds, I need to talk to Wesker about something."

Chris turned to him and propped up his chin. "Taking a few days off?"

Forest finished the drawing and smiled in satisfaction. He picked it up, admiring his less than acceptable portrait of Brad Vickers. "Something like that…" He tore a piece of Scotch tape from the desk and walked over to the blank computer screen next to Jill. He pressed against the glass, and smiled at the crude art. "Poor, Chicken." He chuckled then.

"Why not ask Enrico? He's your leader," Jill said before closing down the browser, ignoring Forest's joke on poor Brad.

"I did. He said I still had to get an OK from Wesker, so…" He looked at Chris. "Looks exactly like Chicken, huh Chris?" The two laughed, and Jill rolled her eyes as she sat up in her chair.

"What's so funny, Speyer?" A thick, gravelly, English faux voice cut through the air that turned all sound into silence. Wesker entered and stopped between Jill and Chris' desks, eyeing Speyer with suspicion through his dark sunglasses.

Forest slowly covered the drawing with his back as he held the cheesiest smile the world has ever known. "Oh, nothing…" he looked around. "Chris told a funny joke. You know how that goes, Captain. He always has his mind in the gutter, don't you, Christopher?"

Chris seethed behind his computer screen, mouthing death threats to Forest. Fortunately for him, Wesker had his back towards him. The captain did a one-eighty turn so that he could easily look over his right shoulder at Chris. Well, damn…

"Apparently I'm not the only one who noticed your filthy mouth as of late, Chris. Although I would've liked for you to repeat it to see if you have any comedic talent—let alone talent at all—Jill is present in the room. And repeating such filth would insult her as a lady, and would only further prove what scoundrels you both are."

Chris was boiling like tea in a pot, ready to burst at any minute, and Wesker knew it. He relished giving the marksman hell—all day, every day. It was just what he did.

Wesker turned to Jill and dipped his head. "Miss Valentine," he said with what could be called a "smile," and made his way to his office in the back. He left his door open and put the briefcase and duffle bag he was carrying on his desk. The shuffling of blinds could be heard, followed by the rubbing of the cords as the blinds were raised.

Jill turned to Forest before going back to her computer. "Good luck." Forest groaned and almost dragged his combat boots across the tile as he slowly made his way to Wesker's office.

"Hmph. Wesker. Fucker…" Chris scoffed as he turned his attention to the screen.

Just then, Brad walked in and stopped dead when he saw the drawing. Chris looked up. Jill did the same. Brad grabbed the drawing and crumbled it in his fist.

"Again?!" He asked to no one in particular. "Real mature!" Chris ducked behind his screen and snickered to himself. His anger had drained.

OoOoOoOo

Claire sat at her desk, switching off between taking notes from the boring lecture she had to endure, or drawing stick figures in action. She preferred the latter, but stick figures were not going to help her when midterms came around. She sighed and tried to focus on the burly, red-faced professor as he paced the floor, talking about Darwinism and Nietzsche. Oh, how the two mixed…

A buzz from her pocket indicated a text message and Claire pulled her phone out, concealing it on her lap. It was a message from Chris.

Wanna have lunch after your class? Claire typed back.

Sure. I'll meet you at work.

Great. Later, stinky-butt.

Later, sack face.

She nearly spit up her water as she drank from the bottle, thinking of Chris' face as a ball-sack. She put her phone back in her pocket and continued to watch the professor's red face.

OoOoOoOoO

"Hey, Chris." Barry popped his head into the Alpha Team office. "You want something from McDonald's? Jill and I are taking orders."

Chris paused in his paper work and leaned back in his chair, yawning with a groan. Wesker said something inaudible—probably an insult—from his office. Chris looked at his Captain who was staring at him and then back at his screen. Chris rolled his eyes when he turned back to Barry.

"Nah, I'm good. I'm actually waiting for Claire. She's coming down in a bit for lunch. Thought I'd take her to Burger Kong."

Wesker stopped typing on his computer and listened, shuffling some papers to make the silence less suspicious.

"Burger Kong? Really, Chris? I think Claire deserves a bit more than fast food don't you think?"

Chris shook his head. "That girl loves her cheeseburgers. It's a miracle she's so thin."

Wesker removed his glasses and rubbed his strained eyes. He set the lenses aside and rolled his shoulders. Another lady friend, Chris? Or perhaps the same one who gave you those disgusting red marks on your neck? Wesker wrinkled his nose.

"I guess you're right. She's always eating junk," Barry said and added a chuckle. "Well, have a good time and tell her I said "hi" incase I don't see her." To Wesker. "Hey, Captain, you want anything from McDonald's?"

"No, but thank you for the offer, Barry." Wesker's tone was softer, nicer…Why couldn't he be like that with Chris?

"Alrighty." Barry turned to Chris. "Catch ya later, pal." Chris gave a wave and sat back in his chair, hands behind his head.

"That paperwork isn't going to finish itself, Chris," Wesker called from the office with that annoying, threatening tone he always used. Wesker turned his wrist to glance at the time. "Until your "friend" arrives I suggest you get back to it."

Chris bit his lip and closed his eyes. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts…

Why did Wesker still have to be here? That Tyrant. Why couldn't he just go to lunch like everyone else? Chris turned in his chair to see Wesker back at his typing.

Chris sighed and went back to his paperwork. He probably sits in his car, all alone with a turkey sandwich…maybe some lettuce, tomato, bacon, mayo…He shook his head. He's too in shape, skip the mayo…

A knock on the door frame shook Chris. He stood with a smile. "Claire!" he embraced his younger sister with a tight hug, followed by a noogie.

"Ow, Chris!" She punched his shoulder. "Frost already gave me one when I walked in. Why do you have to be such a jerk?"

"Aw, c'mon, Claire…Who's the best sister in the whole world?"

Wesker moved to see around the computer screen. Sister Redfield.

"Yeah, yeah, you meat-stick," she laughed and pushed Chris away. "But I forgive you, since you're buying lunch anyways."

Chris laughed and grabbed his keys from his drawer. "Yeah, because college kids are broke all the time; who else is gonna feed you?"

A light turned off in Wesker's office and Claire looked up. Heavy footsteps came across the tile as the figure emerged from the darkness, shutting every light behind him off. Claire saw the shiny black boots, the cargo pants, the gun and holster, the navy-blue, rolled up long sleeve shirt, fair skin, a square jaw, high-cheek bones, a pointed nose, black lenses and slicked back blond hair. She was transfixed. He was very handsome, very tall…something about him was so formal, so professional…

Chris saw Wesker approach and nudged Claire. "Oh, this is Captain Wesker—leader of our squad. And this is my sister, Claire."

Wesker paid no heed as he brushed passed Chris and nearly came between him and Claire. The captain extended his hand, flat-lined lips and an intense gaze behind the shades.

Claire snapped back to reality and gave an annoyed stare instead. She didn't like Wesker's vibe; sure he might seem professional and whatnot, but the look he gave (even from behind sunglasses) didn't sit right with Claire. She reluctantly extended her hand.

"Charmed," Wesker said dryly and took Claire's hand into her own, squeezing and letting go. He smirked at the uncomfortable look she gave him. "My dear, what has you in distress?" He gave her a quick look, up and down. Chris missed it.

"Oh, uh…" Claire stammered. "I-I just…it's been a long day at school. Sorry. I didn't mean to disrespect you." Didn't mean to disrespect him? He just filled you up, idiot! And since when do you have manners for anyone, especially this creepy perv?

"Nonsense," Wesker said with a smile. "You haven't disrespected me at all." He glanced at Chris. "However, the same cannot be said about your brother." Claire smiled when she saw Chris grimace. "It's a good thing one of you is capable of showing manners." Wesker glanced at his Seiko watch. "Ah, I believe I will take my leave. I'm quite famished. It was nice to meet you, Claire. Chris" He dipped his head and left the room. Claire inhaled and smelled the remnants of designer cologne; it smelled like Hugo Boss. She listened to his departing footsteps as they echoed down the halls of the slow precinct.

"Hmph. See? That bastard gets me every damn time. I swear, I'm gonna punch…"

Claire drowned her brother out, thinking about Wesker and how he carried himself, how intimidating he was. Still…he was handsome. That much was certain.

OoOoOoOoO

Chris pulled into his previous spot at the RPD, sipping his coke with a free hand. Claire threw all her trash into the Burger Kong bag and rolled it up. Just as the two were about to exit…

"Hey, Chris," Claire said carefully. Chris stayed at the wheel. "Is Wesker…always like that to everyone he meets, or…" Claire trailed off, hoping her brother got the message.

"He creeps you out doesn't he?"

Claire nodded. "In a way, yeah. Like, he's a gentleman—don't get me wrong. I just have this weird feeling…" She shrugged. "The feeling of, I don't know, intimidation?"

Chris smiled. "Yeah, that's what everyone says when they see or meet him. I was like that for the first week or so; he definitely took some getting used to. But after a while, you get used to his bullshit antics and high-and-mighty tone." He drank the last of his coke before handing it to Claire to put in the bag. "Don't worry though. He can be nice, believe it or not."

"Well, sure, he's nice…" Claire drifted off. Right?

"He is. Like I said, you have to be around him more; that's just the way he is. I mean, if you don't wanna come inside anymore, just call me and I'll meet you out here."

"Chris, please. I'm not a child; I'm not scared of anyone. He was just a little overwhelming firsthand. I'll get over it. It's probably some internal female thing going on."

"Your period?" Chris asked, deadpanned.

Pebbles beneath rubber scrapped against the asphalt as a black BMW M5 pulled in a few spots down, right next to Barry's SUV. Blond hair gleamed in the light.

Speak of the devil, Claire thought. The two Redfields watched as Wesker came around to the front of the Jeep, phone to his ear, making his way inside the building. Knowing Wesker, Chris was sure that the captain felt eyes on him, but decided not to pay heed. The blond always paid attention to his surroundings and every detail. To Chris, he almost seemed inhuman.

Claire caught the last glimpse of his figure: the way he walked showed he was in charge; his body was trimmed of fat and the toned, sculpted muscles of his back flexed as he swung his arms. Even the muscles in his forearms could be seen, and this delighted Claire. She loved muscles.

Chris looked over at Claire. He smiled. "Still intimidated by him?"

OoOoOoO

"So how does it feel to finally be in college?" Jill asked as she spun side-to-side in her computer chair. Next to her, Brad was falling asleep, head in the palms of his hands. Chris rolled a tight ball of paper and tossed it at him. The pilot awoke immediately; Chris ducked behind his computer screen and Barry shook his head.

"It feels good," Claire began as she leaned in the doorway, swirling her bottle of water. "It's a lot easier, time wise, than high school was. I guess the classes aren't so bad."

"Any cute guys that interest you?" Jill was careful when approaching the subject; she knew big brother Chris got a stick up his ass at the mention of another male in Claire's life.

"Better not be," Chris warned and prepared another paper ball. "I'll ring his neck."

"Easy, Rocky," Barry said in a fatherly tone and gripped Chris' shoulders. "Claire is more than capable of taking care of herself. You know this; we know this…give her a break."

"Exactly," Claire nodded.

"Shut up, Claire." And the paper ball sailed through the air, straight towards Claire's head. A gloved hand was in front of Claire's face and caught the paper mid-air. Wesker tossed it a few times in his palm, almost examining it as if it were something he never saw before.

Chris swallowed hard; his eyes never left Wesker. The captain tossed the ball in the trash and looked at everyone around the room until he stopped on Chris. "You're such a child, Chris. I thought I taught you better than that, but it seems that, quite frankly, you don't care about discipline; nor do you care about setting an example for others to follow." Chris shrank in his seat. "Therefore, tomorrow will be a full day of intense training—one that I and Enrico will prepare ourselves. Bravo team will join us." He turned to everyone. "So you can thank your colleague for that…"

Groans filled the room and complaints of, "Why do we have to?" and "It's not our fault" floated around Chris' head. He immediately got on the defense and stood, pointing a dangerous finger at Wesker.

"That's not fair, Wesker," Chris began though clenched teeth. "You're going to punish us for throwing a paper ball at my sister? Fuckin' really? It's not like I pulled my gun on her. And even if I did, I was just playing—

"Exactly, Chris! All you do is play; you rarely take anything seriously and it upsets me greatly. You think because you crack a few jokes and sign off a few papers that people will respect you, that you will gain my respect? No. Wrong. You earn respect and lately, you've been pissing me off." He stopped and straightened his shirt. He heard Claire behind him, almost forgetting she was there. He lowered his voice. "And as far as punishing everyone, we are a unit: if one screws up, you all screw up. I thought the Air Force would've taught you that."

Chris lunged forward, but was pulled back by Barry, who held him firmly in place. "Relax," the older man said and released his friend. Chris brushed past Wesker and Claire, leaving the room in a huff.

"Chris?" Claire called after, but he made no attempt to stop.

"I wouldn't worry too much about him," Wesker said, voice still thick with anger. "He'll cry in his corner, wipe his tears, and be back in a few minutes. He does this all the time."

"So does that mean you're an asshole all the time?"

Silence. Barry visibly tensed and sighed, gripping the chair tightly. Jill's mouth slowly opened, wide enough that had she been a clock, a cuckoo bird could easy pop out. Brad just remained silent with his head down; things were already fucked up anyways. Joseph rubbed his temples; he didn't know what the hell to make of this situation. One Redfield was enough, but two? That was more than enough, even for Wesker.

"No, it means your pathetic excuse of a brother deserves constant punishment. It's not my fault if he can't handle a firm hand. If he wants to be a little boy and embarrass himself, then maybe he should join the scouts." Wesker turned fully to face Claire. He removed his glasses; his intense blue eyes bore into Claire. She wanted to look away in case she turned to stone, but couldn't.

Ok, so maybe two wasn't enough for Wesker…

"Well, I think you're just a bully and hurting others satisfies you. My brother is great and strong. Sure, he might have a little temper, but that's only with people who mistreat him. And you obviously do that a lot from what he tells me, and what I've seen here."

Wesker chuckled darkly, one of those laughs a villain might possess just before killing the hero. "Miss Redfield…" He leaned in close. "I don't enjoy hurting anyone. I enjoy watching others suffer at the hands of their own ignorance. If people, like Chris, can't use their brains, puny or not, then they deserve self-humiliation. Simple as that."

Claire didn't think twice. She splashed the remaining water from her bottle over Wesker's face; he dripped all over. Everyone flinched. Wesker's eyes closed momentarily, but held the same firm gaze on Claire.

"Agreed," Claire growled and turned on her heel to find her brother. Wesker watched her go. Judging from the vein protruding from his forehead and the white-knuckle grip on the doorway, he was angry. No, enraged. But he said nothing. Instead he inhaled deeply, regaining his posture with an exhale. He smoothed his gloved hands over his blond hair, making sure he kept it in place. He whipped out his glasses and put them on, before turning around to four pairs of eyes, each holding a different expression.

Wesker's shoulders slumped as he licked the few drops that accumulated on his lips. They twitched. He could taste her. A part of her remained with the water that was now all over his face. Feeling the awkward tension, Wesker curled his lip. "Why are you not working?"

Everyone immediately went back to their work without so much as a word or glance at Wesker. He wiped his forehead and made his way into his office. He didn't even bother with the computer. He just sat there with his legs propped on the table, head back in thought.

Well played, Claire. That caught me off guard, I'll give you that. But next time…

Wesker pulled out his cell and searched his contacts until he found the desired number and hit 'send.' A few rings…

"Enrico? It's Wesker…"

And that concludes this chapter :D Hope you guys liked it; this is virgin territory for me haha I could've written a lot more, but I want to see the feedback first. Also, if you notice any problems with the tense (either in this story or my LOK fics) I apologize. I have always been bad with the tense, and it can get better or worse depending on the medium; I'm into screenwriting, so the present tense is used and I forget to shift when writing fiction lol so I'm sorry if that bothers you X( On another note, this chapter was just to show the close bond of Chris and Claire and what happens when another tries to mess it up. Obviously, Claire has a thorn in her side—Wesker! I know it seemed like it was about both Redfields (and in a way I guess it was) but later chapters will focus more on Claire and Wesker (hopefully) lol although, I can't resist putting Chris on the spot, especially in front of Claire and Wesker:D

Oh, and since it is "fan fiction," please don't leave me comments about where Claire goes to school, or that something is amiss in the timeline, etc. If it's a personality thing or OOC comment, I'll consider it and reply back; I try to make the characters as true as I can get them. For the sake of this fic, it will be whatever I want it to be, as it should be for any author of this type of writing. Anyways, I hope you guys liked it. Let me know what you think. PM me! Reviews are not required, but they help with criticism and the motivation to update lol *wink* *wink*-Lil V :D