If I could, then I would, I'll go wherever you will go! Way up high, or down low, I'll go wherever you will go.—The Calling
He glanced around, down the sidewalk to his right, to his left—
And there she was, walking towards him in the rain, her hair drenched back, wearing a red cocktail dress almost identical to the one she had worn in Raccoon City, aside from the leather holsters that had crossed her chest. She met his eyes, and then he knew he wasn't imaging it.
"Ada." He said, a faint smile flickering across his face. "I was wondering when you'd show up." She smiled back, teasing as always.
"That's all the greeting I get?" She said. The rain was pouring down on them, but was no longer an irritation. The height difference wasn't much, maybe two or three inches but she turned her chin up a little, so she was looking up at him, an endearing guesture. "How've you been, hero?"
"Good. Horrible cramp in my calves though." Leon said. "Won't be able to chase you around tonight."
She was surprised, but her lips quirked and she smiled. "Well, these shoes aren't made for running." She turned, walked towards the building he had been headed too. Inside it was all warm wood colors, looking like a country tavern, old fashioned lighting that looked like lanterns hung from the ceiling. He paused inside, taking off his jacket and shaking it lightly to remove some of the water. A college girl looked up at them, her face only partially illuminated in the dim light.
"Table for two?" She asked, smiling.
"Yes, please." Ada said warmly. The girl picked up two menus and two sets of silverware, walked with them to a booth off to the side, appropriate for a couple. He wasn't sure if he was imagining it, or he saw the hostess give Ada a congratulatory look.
"A server will be with you in a few minutes." She said. Leon looked around, fighting the urge to start laughing. It was a situation he had imagined many times. But things never happen like you picture them. Most of the time, they just never happened.
"Smart girl, huh?" Ada said. Leon looked at her.
"Why are you here, Ada?" He asked. She shrugged, tilted her head a little to the side.
"I wanted to see you," she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She glanced down the menu, like it was any casual date. "I heard things worked out for you and Harper when you got back stateside."
"You gave us enough evidence." Leon said. He shifted, taking the glock 19 out of his small-of-back holster, setting it in the dark on the seat next to him, taking a napkin off the table to wipe it. It was a fairly new pistol, he didn't need it to start rusting from rain. "Thanks, for that."
"You're welcome, Leon." Ada said, leaning back in her seat, tossing the menu down. "Decide what you want?"
"Have you?" Leon asked pointedly. Ada paused, looking a little unsure.
"For once, I think I have." Ada said, looking down, fiddling with a small bracelet. "Ah, I may have failed to warn you in time, a few months ago. I don't suppose you met me during those incidents… except, I'm guessing I was pretty bitter? And not wearing red?"
"You mean in China, when Chris Redfield almost shot you?" Leon asked, not adding the 'and I saved you'? "And how did you fake your death?"
"Yeah, that wasn't exactly me, nor was the death fake." Ada said apologetically. "Her name was Carla Radames, a researcher who worked with Simmons. I had done a few contracts for his group years ago, and he developed a bit of an obession with me. Apparently they were working with c-virus effects. I found out a bit late, a tape labeled-"
"Happy birthday Ada Wong." They said together. Ada looked surprised, but smiled.
"Always have your eyes open, don't you." She said. "You thought that was me on the tape?"
"What else would I think?" Leon said offhandedly. "You could have told me. I thought I was saving your life at one point. And later I thought Chris Redfield had killed you."
"Good man, Redfield. We bumped into each other a few times on Carla's aircraft carrier, he thought I was Carla." Ada said, smiling again. "I'm glad he wasn't the more spiteful type. He had a few clear shots at me, but didn't take them."
"Sounds like I might owe him an apology." Leon said remorsefully.
"It was a warzone. He'll understand." Ada said, glancing up as a waitress came over, another college girl or fresh out of college.
"Hey, I'm Ana, I'll be your server tonight." The girl said. Leon glanced up at her.
"Hey. I'd like the 'American cheeseburger' with a side of fries and a sweet tea." Leon said. He glanced at Ada.
"The Caesar salad with grilled chicken." She said. "And just water." The girl wrote it down, took their menus, and left.
"You don't drink anymore?" Ada asked innocently. Leon shook his head.
"Gave it up." Leon said. An a silence fell for a few moments. They glanced at each other, and Leon had to smile at the momentary lull.
"Feels like lifetimes, doesn't it?" Ada mused aloud. "Living on battlefields. In the USA, Europe, China. And in the end… there's always more bodies. And more soldiers ready to take your place."
"Always another war." Leon agreed. The girl came back with two glasses, put them down quietly, then left again. Another few moments passed in silence, and this time, Ada allowed herself a smirk.
"Never thought making conversation would be a challenge for me." She commented wryly. She spread her hands on the table, palms up, and forced herself to look him in the eyes. "I'm not very good at saying this… but for whatever it's worth, Leon, I'm sorry." She didn't have to specify what it was for. There were enough games that needed an apology. She kept her eyes on his.
"It's okay." He said quietly.
It was still raining when they walked outside, and a fog had set in, turning the streetlights into auroras that only seemed to emphasize how empty the roads were, and how cold it was compared to the warm lanterns and hardwoods of the tavern they had just left. They both looked around reflexively, habit born of the many times their lives had counted on it. Somehow, the coldness of life hadn't been able to reach them for an hour, but it was back, closing in on them. Ada glanced left, right. They were in the little town's "downtown" if it could be called that. Older brick front buildings lined the street to the left. To their right, the town seemed to abruptly end a few blocks away, the road nestled by woods on one side, and the brick wall of a schoolyard on the other. Another lonely path into the night, vanishing into the fog.
Their eyes met again, for once, seeming to share the same feeling. Both of them had spent their lives driving alone down those dark roads. Leon felt a pain in the back of his mind. He wasn't sure why she was there, or for how long, but if she walked away… this thing, whatever it was between them, might vanish and never come back.
He stepped towards her, feeling the rain drip down his neck, feeling the wet cold of the night, but seeing Ada move towards him too. His hand found her the small of her back as he felt her fingers on the back of his head, then suddenly the wonderful warmth of her lips on his, full of want and need and desire. They broke away for a moment, breathing in, looking at each other.
"No more games?" He asked. She shook her head. He knew it couldn't be, but the rain running down her cheeks looked like tears.
"Where you go, I go." Ada whispered, her voice breathy, intimate. She pulled him towards her and they kissed again. It was better this time, the third time in the years they had known each other.
It just clicked, somehow, in the drizzling night, in the empty town.
He was with her.
She was with him.
And it was alright.