A/N: Thanks guys for reading this story and supporting it. A special thanks to my constant reviewers Mercenary Nemesis and Shirahane Aikawa.

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil or any of its characters appearing in this story. They are property of Capcom.

Chapter 10

(Leon's POV)

"Let's go", I said opening the bedroom door, it was almost time for us to go for work but I saw Kate packing her bags, "You going somewhere?"
"Yeah I have to leave for a mission in Alaska", she told me and I remembered David saying something about it.
"Alaska? Did you packed warm?", I blurted out and she looked back at me.
"You alright?", she asked closing the bag.
"Yeah, why?", I asked.
"No, it's weird we didn't have any argument after you barged in the bathroom like everyday", she said busy checking something on her phone.
"I didn't barge in", I said to her.
"Now its better", she said, "You are fine. C'mon we're getting late."

"You're saying as if I was the one delaying us", I said out loud following her down the stairs.
"Oh I forgot something", Kate said and set her bag at the base of the stairs, "You go ahead, I'll join you in a bit."
"See I never make us late", I said going past her.
"You love to argue don't you", she said sighing heading for the bedroom. I went outside and got her luggage in the car's back seat. And as I was rounding off to driver seat, she emerged from house with her handbag and we headed for the Agency's airport to drop her off.

(Kate's POV)

Leon's phone buzzed and he put on his earphone, "Kennedy", he said keeping his eyes on the road and a moment later he pulled earphone off and literally threw it on car's deck, "Please put it on speaker", he said to me and I did as he told me.

"LEEEEEOOOOOONNN", I immediately put my hands against my ears and Shadow started barking violently; now I understood why Leon pulled off the earphone, my god she screamed when she talked, it's really irritating.
"Yes Ashley", Leon said softly.
"Why aren't you here already", she yelled and I reached to decrease the speaker's volume but it was already minimum and I slapped my head.
"I have some work but I'll be there in few", he said to her.
"What work?", she asked him.
"Something personal", he told her.
"You lied you have a girlfriend", she yelled and began crying on the phone.
"What? No", Leon said bewildered and one could tell he was getting irritated. He shot a brief glance at me while saying this.
"Then get here now", she said stubbornly.

"I said I am busy", he said running a hand through his hair and Shadow barked more loudly and not for one moment he had stopped barking, "look I'll just call you later", he said to her, "Please disconnect it", he said to me and I did. He rested his head on the back of seat breathing out loudly and again I tried to read him wanting to know what he was thinking but it was hard. You can read him like a book but you can't help him, he won't let you, even if it's the last thing you want. Spending five years told me he wanted something but I don't know what and if I could help him with that, maybe not, otherwise he had already asked for it, he didn't even consider me his friend to discuss his problems with me.

(Leon's POV)

"Leon brought you here, I thought you might be getting a taxi or something", David said to Kate, sounding a little surprised.
"No David, White house is in the way so he dropped me here", Kate told him. Even if it wasn't I would have dropped her here anyways.
"So you're all set to go?", he asked her.
"Yeah more than anything", she said.
"Okay, so here is the briefing file, undercover mission, it ends whenever you manage to complete the objectives. Want your report in every 6 hours, somebody will always be on this line for you, basic rules you know, no meeting friends in that place, no contacting family and stuff. Any doubts", David said.
"No Sir", she said smiling at him, she turned to walk into the jet.
"Kate wait", he stopped her, "Don't you wanna say anything to Leon."

I looked at Leon and he just looked at me. We just stared at each other. I wanted to say so many things and maybe he did too but it was not the time and place. If he wanted to hear something it was too late and if he wanted me to listen then we don't have enough time for that. We just…

"No, I have nothing to say to him", Kate said still looking at me. Every time when she leaves for an undercover mission, I bring her here, David asks her if she wants to say anything to me and she always gives the same answer. Even though she never says anything to me but I always have this feeling she's talking to me, maybe I am thinking too much but I feel like as if she's telling me, 'take care, be safe, don't get in trouble, eat and sleep properly until I return and don't worry I'll return.'

(Kate's POV)

"Excuse me", I said to the men I was entertaining at this club, among who was my target a director of multinational Pharmaceutical Company. The company is believed to be carrying out illegal experimentations but we didn't have too much proof and my job get those evidences on behalf of Agency. It took me one day to track the person and a few hours to put him in the bag. He's probably thinking that I am in his bag though, but he's clueless that he is in a bag himself all wrapped and locked inside a locker whose code is impossible to break. He's thinking he would get lucky tonight but I'll leave him crying tonight but first I have to report. I walked to washroom and waited till I was all alone.

Then I put a motion sensor on the door which would tell me about anyone within a 10 m radius. Keeping an eye on the Sensor screen, I contacted base. My first attempt failed as the device could not connect long enough for base to pick up but in my second attempt the personnel at base picked up so fast that I almost doubted him.

"US base", I heard a male speak and I felt as if I knew that voice, "Please tell your code."
"My code is 109KK", I told him my code; every agent has their code in case they're captured and enemy try to take their place.
"Kate", the man said and I felt like hitting him, okay he by hearted my code but saying names of undercover Agents while they're on mission is unadvisable, "You there?", he asked and I recognized the voice, it can only be him.
"What are you doing here?", I asked him.
"Came here to drop a report to Hunnigan and she wanted to go to have dinner, so she left me in charge for a bit", he told me.
"Just take the report will you?", I said frowning.
"Go on", he said.
"I have acquired subject's trust and hopefully the mission will be completed by tonight, so I request for a chopper to pick me up", I said to him.
"Anything else?", he asked.
"No, I am ending my report", I said to him.

(Leon's POV)

"Okay", I replied but didn't disconnect and Kate didn't do it either. We sat there listening to each other's breath, this was the first time that we were talking while she was on an undercover mission and it felt nice. I don't know why but I felt that something was missing in my life when she was not around maybe I was too much habituated to argue with her everyday that I couldn't get to sleep without having an argument or two with her but arguments are the only way she paid attention to me, didn't she?

"Someone's coming I have to go", she said and disconnected.

(Kate's POV)

My communicator beeped once as I saw my extracting chopper overhead. It settled at some distance and I ran and somebody gave me their hand and pulled me up effortlessly, "Wow", I couldn't help but say.
"Thank You", he said and I realized it was Leon.
"What're you doing here again?", I asked him a little surprised.
"I am your escorting officer", he said.
"Oh really they never sent one before", I said to him.
"David asked me to pick you up, I am not interested in bringing you home", he said crossing his arms.
"Like I am interested in going home with you", I quipped back.

(Leon's POV)

"Funny you two bicker like married couple", the pilot said interrupting in between.

We both looked at him and then at each other and then took our seats and pulled on seat belts, 'It's because we're married couple', I thought looking at Kate. Who was looking the other side, the rest of journey was quiet and we only talked to the pilot about trivial things and not with each other. My gaze fell on Kate's arm and there were some finger nails mark.

"What's this?", I asked her and she looked at the scar.
"It is what it is", she replied and then looked away.
"How did you get that?", I asked her.
"What do you mean how, somebody dug their nails in my arm", she replied a bit annoyed.
"What were you doing?", I asked and she gave me a look that she doesn't wanted to discuss anything, "Tell me I say", I pressed on.
She looked at the pilot, "The subject took me to his house… his bedroom where he tried to get… physical and in the process I got the scratch", she replied.
"Why didn't you knock him out?", I asked her angrily.
"Because I was enjoying myself", she yelled.
"What?", I too yelled, surprised.
"So what do you mean why I didn't knock him, I needed him to tell me where his locker was so I can break it and I needed him to tell every classified detail that's not on the file", she yelled again, "Do you think I enjoy this… being molested by men I hardly know… I hate every bit of it."

I realized my mistake but it was late we were already making a landing at the airport where David was waiting for Kate and me. She talked with him a bit and gave him the file she had acquired and a small PDA. David asked for a report as soon as possible and she replied that it would be on his desk by next evening. Then David sent us off saying we needed sleep.

We headed home and she took unusually very very long taking a shower. She finally emerged and looked at me briefly and sighed. She rounded off to her side totally oblivious that I was still awake she kept her back towards me like always and tried to sleep.

(Kate's POV)

"Kate", Leon called very softly but I didn't reply, "Did you… "
"No", I replied with snap before he could ask, "I never had to do that."
A weight shift told me that our small conversation was over and then his light touch told me it wasn't, as he turned me to face him, he had moved close to me, "Did he hurt you?", he said barely in a audible whisper. There was this pain in his voice.
"Yes", I replied crying, "I feel filthy, I feel dirty and I can't wash this dirt off me, no matter how much time it take", I don't know why I told him of all people.
"I understand", he said wiping my tears, "Now sleep and don't let it bother you okay. I know it's your job and I am not mad."

Leon grabbed my hand that was placed between us and I felt good. I felt really nice, happy for some reason, relieved for the other. My heart was at peace, it was not restless anymore, not afraid anymore. Every cell in my body was soothed by his simple gesture and I felt safe as he held my hand and asked me to sleep and most of all I didn't felt dirty or filthy anymore.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I apologize for any inconvenience you had whilst reading.