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Chapter Four: September 28, 1998

September 28, 1998 was the day that changed her life forever. It had only been ten days since she had turned eight-teen and started her cross-country road trip to see as many of her high school friends before she ended up in California to attend her chosen school. She had been on the road to enter Raccoon City when she had come to an army barricade. They made her and everyone else turn around; telling her that the city was closed to everyone. She had no idea how an entire city could be closed but she decided not to argue with the men and retraced her way back down the road. Her gas light, growling stomach, and tired body made her stop at the little road side all you need shop. She pulled her Tracker up to the pumps and slowly got out. She couldn't help the groans as she moved her body for the first time in hours. She filled the tank on the car and went in to the closest building. There she was able to pay for her fuel but learned that the motel didn't have any more rooms. The clerk told her it would be alright if she just parked in the lot and slept in her car though.

After she moved her car to the parking lot she headed to the bar to get something to eat. It was just a little hole in the wall place but it was packed with people, she guessed it was because of the city being blocked off. She did manage to find an empty table and took a seat. It was a rather long wait before the frazzled waitress finally made it to her. The older woman apologized about a hundred times for taking so long before she asked what it was that Abner wanted. She told the woman that it didn't bother her to wait and gave her simple order, a glass of water and a bowl of soup if there was any left. The waitress gave a giggle, catching Abner's joke, as she scribbled down the order and hurried off.

The loud voices from the bar and the crying of a young child filled the air as the young woman sat at the table. It was a nice place really, just like home to here. She had come from a large family, with six older brothers and all, it wasn't until a hand met her shoulder did she look up. There was a large man staring down at her, he had a dark beard and bandana on his head with tattoos running up and down his arms. She felt her heart stop at the glare on the man's face and the hate that seemed to radiate from his brown eyes. She knew her own blue ones grow wide when she felt his grip tighten on her joint. He then leaned closer to her face and she caught the flash of lust that flashed in his eyes. Her own scanned the bar, hoping that someone would come to help her. She felt all hope leave her when his gravel voice reached her ears.

"Now you listen 'ere redskin. We ain't real keen on yer likes 'round 'ere, but I think I can look past that if yer were to give us payment fer yer night. So, whatcha say?"

She wanted to pass out; again her eyes scanned the bar. This time she felt her hope rise when she saw a young man looking back at her table. He had his brow cocked and was staring at her. She did the best she could to convey her need for help with just her eyes, he seemed to get it. He stood and wobbled before taking a step toward the table. The way he swayed back and forth spoke volumes on just how long he had been sitting at the bar, but she really wasn't in the position to be picky with her 'hero'.

"Hey th-there man, I-I don't tchink the young lady ap-apri- likes yer advances." If the big guy hadn't been holding her shoulder she would have hit her head on the table. This guy is WRECKED, oh god I am going to be raped and we are both going to be murdered tonight.

The bigger man turned his attention to the drunk and was about to open his mouth when a female voice came from behind him. All three of them and the rest of the bar turned to see the waitress, bowl of soup in one hand and glass of water in the other, as she gave the large man a look that could have dropped him dead. His whole demeanor changed, it was clear that this woman scared the hell out of this man. She narrowed her eyes at him and practically growled at him to get out. Abner for one had never seen such a large man move quite so fast. Her eyes then fell on the drunk that had come to her aid in the first place. She was going to thank him but found herself jumping up to keep him from falling on his back. Guiding him to the table she let him sit down as the waitress moved to the table.

"I am surprised he can even move. He's been here for most of my shift, just sitting at the bar. Was he bothering you too?"

Abner couldn't help the giggle as the man's smoke colored eyes danced around, trying to find something to focus on, "No Ma'am, he came to help me."

She heard the older woman sigh, "I'm sorry about Bruce, he's a bit of a jerk. Just ignore him in here and if you are going to stay the night here, keep your door locked. He doesn't dare break anything over there so you'll be safe in there. What's wrong hon? You look kinda pale?"

Abner gave a shy smile to the woman before she hung her head, "I, I uh, didn't get here in time to get a room. I was planning to sleep in my car."

The sound of metal scraping across the table caught both women's attention, Abner's eyes fell on the key with the motel tag hooked to it now sitting front of her on the table. Her gaze then shifted to the man on the other side of the table. His eyes were slightly narrowed and he seemed more aware of his surroundings. When he spoke this time, he was easier to understand.

"There is a bed and a couch in my room. I'll sleep on the couch and you can have the bed, if ya help me to the room. I think I am a bit too drunk to make it there alone."

Both women smiled and Abner nodded in agreement. She then thanked the waitress and paid for her small meal before she quickly swallowed it down. Once her stomach was full she stood and reached to help her new friend up. As the two made their way over to the motel he offered to stop at her car so that she could grab her back. She at first refused the offer but the tempting sound of the word shower made her make the sharp turn to the small vehicle. Now with her bag on one shoulder and the man leaning lightly on the other she fiddled with the door key for a moment before she heard the heavenly click that signaled she had turned it right, and she pushed it open. Her next task was a bit more challenging, getting the man who had started to fall asleep on her to the bed. She had decided on the way across the parking lot that she would sleep on the couch, he paid for the room anyways; she couldn't be so rude as to take his bed. The springs of the mattress gave great complaint when his weight came to a rest on them. She then moved to set down her bag and remove his shoes. She might as well make him as comfortable as she could before she laid down herself.

As she tugged at the laces on his boots he began to stir a little, she was trying to get both shoes off before he decided to roll over and get comfortable so he didn't end up kicking her. Just as the second one fell to the floor, she felt his hands on her face. She looked up only to be met with his lips on hers. At first she recoiled but when he didn't relent she could feel her body relax. The last clear thought in her head was something along the lines of, might as well get something out of this change of plans anyways she owed him. The rest of the night was a blur of passion.

She woke to the sound of a large truck starting, for a moment she wasn't sure where she was but it came back to her when her eyes fell on his face. Leon is what he told her his name was. She felt it suited him well, the lion-hearted, yeah it suited him well; especially when he had told her that he was going to the nearby town to be a police officer. She sighed, not wanting to but knowing she had to get up. She tried to move as quietly as she could, collecting up her clothes that had been thrown across the room the night before and getting out clean ones. She went to the small bathroom and started the shower. The water felt so good to her she was sure she had spent an hour in there, but finally she dragged herself away so she wouldn't use up all of the hot water on him. She got dressed and went back to the bedside. It was ten in the morning, and he was still out cold. If she wanted to keep on her schedule she had to leave. Reaching down she brushed some of his bangs from his face, when he didn't stir she smiled and grabbed a piece of the paper that was on the table and scratched down a note. For a moment she thought about leaving him her number but decided against it, he might not remember this at all anyways. With her note written and her bag all packed again she moved to the door. She stopped short and turned back to the man's sleeping form.

"Thank you Leon. For all you have done for me." She whispered just before she slipped out the door and headed back down the road.

It was almost two when Leon finally opened his eyes. His entire body hurt, his head felt as if it had a heartbeat of its own and he almost wanted to cry when he rolled over to look at the clock. The movement made the world spin and he shut his eyes while he swore he would never even look at another beer. When he felt like he could handle the world he opened his eyes again. The red glow of the numbers stared back at him as he slowly began to put two and two together to figure out what it said. Finally the numbers made sense to him and leapt from the bed, not even noticing that he was stark naked until he went to undress for his twenty-two second shower. This caused him pause for a moment, he went back in to the other room and took note of his clothes everywhere. Yeah, he was defiantly NEVER drinking again. He then ran through the shower, choosing to put his uniform on to save a few minutes, not that it really mattered anyways, he was so late now he was sure he was going to get fired. This is going to be one hell of a first day.

Moving like lightning he grabbed all of his clothes and shoved them in his bag pausing only for a moment when his eyes fell on the note. He picked it up and stared at it for a few minutes. What did I do last night? Realizing he was wasting time he jammed the note into his pocket and ran to the front desk to checked out. Then he leapt into his Jeep and pushed it as hard as he could to try and get to town before he lost his new job. His mind still trying to figure out what he did the night before and who 'A' was. However, all too soon his thoughts turned to more pressing matters and soon the thoughts of 'A' were pushed so deep into the back of his mind the resorted to becoming the dream that haunted him every night.

Abner's thoughts however, were long stuck on that night. She had never felt right with how she had left, especially when she heard of the destruction of Raccoon City, she cried that night, and even more so a month later when she found out she was carrying her hero's child. One night would now cost her an almost free ride to a great school and years more living with her parents to save money to give her baby a good life one day all on her own. She faced her disappointed parents and faced the challenges of single parenthood with a strong facade. Her thoughts would turn to her hero and the night at the little one stop area and she would cry because he daughter would never have the chance to know her father. On June 21st, 1999, Matilda Leona Danvers came into the world and Abner cried again, tears of amazing joy and heart wrenching sorrow at the same time. She then swore to herself that she would raise her child to know only that her father was a hero in her mother's eyes.