A/N: I am thankful to all the readers, who are making this story a success. And I am extremely grateful to the reviewers, Mercenary Nemesis and Shirahane Aikawa for their sharing their views.

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

Chapter 11

(Kate's POV)

When alarm clock woke me up this morning I felt something heavy on my waist, I thought it to be Shadow's head because occasionally he do that but it was Leon's arm. He hadn't moved away and he had his arm over my waist. I wish I could see him but I was facing the other side unlike every day. I slowly moved his arm and quickly placed a pillow in my place. And just to ruin all my effort his phone rang, everyday he kept it in vibration mode just today he had to keep it in general mode, so that it would wake him up when I tried so hard not to wake him up. He's such an idiot.

"Hello?", he answered his phone, "I forgot, yeah I am coming", he took a pause, "I said I am coming so just stop bugging me."
'Hunnigan', I thought inwardly.
"What?!", he snapped at me.
"What?", I said.
"You want something?", he asked checking his schedule.
"No, I was just…", I began.
"If you have nothing to say then run along do your work", he said getting off the bed moving towards the cupboard.
"Why are you getting mad?", I said annoyed myself, I felt like hitting him.
He stopped rummaging and took a pause, 'Is he thinking?', I thought to myself.
"I am sorry", he said, "I didn't mean to sound rude or yell at you."
'Did he just say sorry? To me? Okay either I am dreaming or he's not Leon', I thought to myself, 'maybe he's not well', I mean he never ever apologize to me even if he knows that he's wrong, "You feeling alright?", I asked him.
"Why are you asking didn't we bicker a bit back there", he said closing the cupboard door and smiling at me.

And god I must be dreaming cause he really smiled, yes he smiled but this was his genuine smile, not a dry, sarcastic or made up one, he was really smiling it was something you get to see rarely and by saying rarely I am exaggerating, I haven't seen this smile over years, I have mostly seen it in his old photographs.

(Leon's POV)

"I am dreaming", Kate said and fell back and I ran to catch her but I lost my balance and fell on her luckily we didn't hit the floor and unluckily we were on the bed in a romantic position. Kate had her eyes closed very slowly she opened them and looked into mine. Our blue eyes stared right into each other.

Shadow's barks broke our trance and I got off her and she sat up, "I need to use bathroom first, I am already late", I said to her and she nodded.
"I'll go make breakfast", she said and headed downstairs as I headed for the bathroom.

I brushed my teeth, showered and couldn't help but kept thinking about the time, few minutes earlier what did she meant by she was dreaming. Did she meant something about me, 'Why I keep thinking about her?', I asked myself. There had been not a single day when I didn't stop and thought about her. Every day I find myself thinking about her and when she's not around I don't feel right and always felt something is missing. I wonder if she feels the same, 'Urgh… I hate it when I think about her', I said splashing some water on my face.

I stepped out of the bathroom and found Kate tidying up the bed, "Breakfast is ready and on the table", she said not looking at me.
"Okay, you had your breakfast?", I asked her.
"No, I haven't brushed my teeth yet, you were in the bathroom remember?", she said to me.
"Hurry up or we're gonna be late; well I am already late and if you don't hurry I'll be more late", I said to her putting my shoes on.
"So who's asking you to wait, I've already called John over, he'll take me along with him", she replied walking in the bathroom, "You just do your breakfast and be on your way."

Her words made me freeze on the spot. What she said was right and logical and anyone would opt for it normally but if I'd agree to it then it would just mean that in the first time in five years I wouldn't be dropping her to work. I don't know this seemed a much bigger problem to me than the fact that I was getting late or would be late if I made an extra effort to drop her home. I don't know what took over me and I walked towards the bathroom, "I can drop you", I said opening the door.

"Leon!", she said in surprise, "stop doing that!"
"No", I said.
"What?!", she questioned surprised and ruffling sounds told me she was pulling on her clothes.
"Look I'll drop you to Agency", I said pulling the curtain aside.

(Kate's POV)

This was the first time he had done this and I would really had punched him for doing that but seeing his concerned face made me stop, "Okay, I'll just call John and tell him", I said to him.
"Thank you", he smiled, relieved about something, "And just hurry up, I'll call John and tell him", he said taking out his phone.
"What's going on?", I muttered to myself.

I walked to bedroom dried my hair and since I knew they won't be sending me anywhere today so I decided to keep my hair down, since it would take less time. I pulled on my high heeled sandals and climbed down the stairs. Leon probably took Shadow out for a walk. I sat down and had my breakfast as fast as I could, then locked the doors and spotted Leon walking back in distance. We both walked towards car and reached it at the same time. He unlocked the doors and I let Shadow in before getting in myself and Leon drove me to work.

I don't know why maybe for a change I kept looking at him. I wanted to know why he insisted on dropping me to work, even though he knew he would be in trouble if he got to work late and then I decided it was better to ask than to keep guessing, "Uh… Leon", I called.
"Yes?", he looked at me briefly.
"Why you wanted to drop me to work today", I asked him biting my lower lip.
"Because I do it every day for past five years", he replied casually but that was no reason to drop me to work today. Maybe he didn't want to tell me.
"If you don't want to tell, its fine by me but at least don't come up with absurd reasons", I said to him and looked out of the window.
"It might sound absurd but it is the truth", he said looking at me briefly as I again turned in my seat to face him, "When you said John would be taking you to work, I didn't feel right. I mean everyday dropping you to work has become a habit and…", he took a pause, "… by dropping you everyday to work, I feel relieved that you're safe", he looked at me as he pulled the car in front of the Agency.

I smiled at that, he can be so sweet sometimes and I never in my life thought he could be this much sweet to me. I had seen him talk like that to either his mother or sister or Zach but I never imagined I would get a chance to hear something like this from him. I think it made my day, "Take care", I could only say as I got out of his car.

I walked smiling inside the building and pushed the up button on the elevator, "Good morning Cornor", somebody wished me and I turned around to see it was my supervisor Greg Saunders.

"Morning", I said uninterested and walked away, I would rather take stairs than to share the same elevator with him. He was the type of guy who would rape a girl and then blame her of sexual harassment, sick bastard if you ask me. I worked my way up the stairs to the third floor and then got elevator since by then it had probably dropped off Greg.

I reached my floor and started working on the report that I had promised David. After I was done with that he asked me if I would like to Escort President with a couple of more Agents and I agreed since I had nothing to do plus with Saunders around I'd better do that.

(Leon's POV)

Shadow whined and settled itself near my feet as we waited for the President, he was about to make a speech here and I got lucky that today I was to look after his security rather than a dumb blonde's. I had to be here 3 hours before his arrival to check everything but I was 2 hours late because I got up late and then Kate made me late. Okay maybe she didn't but I can just tell it to myself for being late. I was currently monitoring everything from the surveillance room.

"President has arrived", somebody informed me but I didn't need him to tell me since I was already seeing it on the monitor and just then Shadow raised his head smelling something and ran out. I ran after him since it never meant a good signal. I followed him between the crowd and he led me to the President and stopped there and started barking at him and I just couldn't seem to understand what had happened.

The President stopped when he saw Shadow barking like that, "Here boy", somebody said from behind him and Shadow began wagging its tail and the person who had said that stepped out to pat him, it was Kate. Shadow had sensed her and I know he loved her so much that he can't seem to stay away from her if she was near him.

"Your dog Agent?", President asked.
"Uh… yes sir. I apologize…", she began her apology.
"LIAR", Ashley yelled cutting in between, "This is Leon's dog", she moved towards Shadow, "I can prove it Daddy", she tried to reach for Shadow's collar.
"NO!", both me and Kate yelled together.

"It is my dog Ashley", I said to her as Kate pulled back Shadow restraining him from lunging onto Ashley.
"See Daddy, I told you it was Leon's dog", she yelled to her father.
"Yeah honey", he said as they moved further on with the rest of the Agents.

(Kate's POV)

"What are you doing here?", Leon asked me.
"What do you mean, I am here to work. David asked me to escort President here and back", I replied.
"You?", he said surprised, "Was he mad or something, you can't even save a fly from being swatted and he sent you to protect President", he commented.
"Flies are meant to be swatted and if you can do it I can do it", I said to him furiously and he just laughed.
"I was just kidding sweetheart", he said laughing and I raised my brow at his last word and maybe he said it almost involuntary because he said, "It just slipped sorry."
"It's okay, don't do it again", I said sighing, I very well knew his habit of flirting with every women but he had flirted with me for the first time. I think he didn't get sleep last night, he was doing some really very stupid things today.

(Leon's POV)

"How long is he going to talk", Kate said totally bored.
"I don't know, he talks a lot", I said shrugging and maybe yawning.
"Urgh… it's irritating", Kate said again after sometime.
"See my job isn't easy", I said to her.

"Whatever, just wake me up when he's done", she wrapped her arm around mine and kept her head on my shoulder. I was really taken aback by that, I looked at her if she was joking but she wasn't. She adjusted her head on my shoulder so she could be comfortable and her hair fell on her face and she tugged them behind her ear. I knew I wasn't dreaming because I could smell her provocative scent that always gets the best of me, but it never showed on my face because I was too much good at hiding that.

(Kate's POV)

I was feeling sleepy so I decided to get sleep and without thinking I just used Leon as a pillow. I smelled in his manly cologne and almost involuntary my grip tightened over his arm and his biceps tensed up. I could really feel him, 'Wait', the thought hit me and I pulled away abruptly. I looked up at him and he was looking at me. We were in the darkest corner of the hall, so it was less likely that somebody saw us but still I wouldn't have mind if everybody saw us I was rather disturbed by the feeling I showed towards Leon, maybe he was too.

Just then Leon pushed me down on the floor and covered my mouth as the sounds of gunshots filled the whole hall and many Agents were killed along with a few civilians and reporters. He held me down till the fire fight died down and the culprits began demanding stuff to President in exchange for both President and Ashley's life.

We both put our communicators on, "Kennedy here", Leon said softly and about three or four Agents responded.
"Two rookies and three professional", I said to him.
"Uh ah… two rookies, three professional and two experts", he said and we both smiled at same time.
"Showtime", we said together.
"You take the two rookies and provide me back up", he said to me.
"Got it", I said, "But let me play the hero here, just give me back up."

(Leon's POV)

"What do you mean?", I asked Kate.
"Stealth is an art just watch and learn Agent Kennedy", she kinda purred and crawled away from me to the nearest Kidnapper and hit his legs and the two Rookies acted as a cushion and caught him before he hit the floor and Kate punctured his throat and asked us to follow and we got three men by this trick.

"Five people left", Kate said, "I can't make this trick work anymore."
"Provide me back up Cornor", I said readying my gun.
"Don't be reckless, they could hurt President and Ashley", she pointed out the flaw in my plan.
"Hey where Frank, Jasie and Jean go", somebody yelled and it meant we were spotted.
"Someone is here", the leader said, "Come out or we'll kill those two."
"Damn", I cursed.
"I have a plan, Dawson take the rookies and get President and the first daughter to a safe place while I distract him. Leon give me back up with Gibson and Fernandez", Kate laid down her plan.
"Okay, got that", Dawson said at once and he started making his way to where President and Ashley were.

(Kate's POV)

"Okay here goes nothing", I said standing up.
"A woman?", the leader said.
"Yup it's me", Kate said moving towards him slowly, "But you got me, just don't hurt them."
"You're saying you took out my three men all by your own", he snorted.
"You doubt that?", I said to him, "I can prove", I gave a brief look at Dawson who gave me a thumbs up as he had reached a possible safe distance.
"How?", he said and I looked around.
"I can prove", I said moving towards the man that looked strongest to me. I flung my arms around him and smiled at him.

(Leon's POV)

"What is she doing?", Gibson said a bit annoyed.
"Seduction", I told her smiling.
"How is it gonna help", she asked rolling her eyes.
"Just wait and watch", I said as the man's knees began shaking and then it came a hard punch to the face knocking him off and that was our cue.
"Move", I said and Dawson and rookies immediately secured President and Ashley as the kidnappers began firing again and we took out our guns and fired too.

"This is not good", Kate said joining us, "The rookies and Dawson alone can't keep up the President and Ashley alive. We have to think fast."
"Take head shots", I suggested.
"Are you mad?", she said to me, "Your aim is perfect, it doesn't mean our aim is also perfect, we need more practice to hit them on head; you can blindly shoot them and be sure that it would hit them because you're experienced but we're not."
"C'mon you hit the target blindfolded when I bet you", he said smiling, "I know you can do it, I take one and you take the other and then it would leave only two."
"Okay", she said and it went perfect just as we planned and we got the leader and one of his minions cornered.

"Easy drop your weapons now", Gibson yelled to the two and just as they were about to put their gun down.
"No need", somebody said and we turned around to see Kate was held by the man who she had punched, maybe he had come to consciousness, "Leave them or I'll blow her brains out", he said pulling off his mask, he was a wanted criminal.
"Shit", I cursed under my breath.
"You know that was a smart move knocking me unconscious otherwise you'd have been at disadvantage because I don't feel pain", he said and cut his own arm with his knife, "But my luck I came back to consciousness. Since the time I smelled you", he smelled Kate's neck as if she was some snorting drug, "he threw away his knife and pulled out his gun, "I like girls like you, you are good in bed", his gun moved down Kate's chest.
'I feel filthy, I feel dirty…', Kate's voice rang in my brain as I noticed a tear down her face as the man moved down his gun.

(Kate's POV)

It felt really bad, I could feel his hunger for me, I wished someone to save, I didn't want them to save President or Ashley anymore. I wanted them to save me, "Get your hands off her", somebody said and I opened my eyes.
"Did you say something punk", the man who was holding me said.
"I said Get your hands off her now", he growled in anger.
"What you're gonna do, if I didn't ", he said and pulled one of my sleeves tearing in in the process.
"I'll tear you to pieces", Leon said to him moving in our direction.
"Heh like you can, take one step further and I'll shoot you", he said pointing his gun at Leon but Leon didn't stop and he fired.
"Leon stop there!", I yelled to him as he fired again.
"Listen to chick", he said with an amused laugh firing again and this time it hit Leon in arm.
"Leon!", I couldn't help but scream as he made a run to us and before I know he's holding the man by neck. The man's grip loosened on me and he let me go and he tried to struggle with Leon. He didn't look like the one who was dominating the situation a moment ago. How can he, right now Leon was at his maximum point of anger nothing can come between him and the man, he was blinded by the fury but no he can't kill this man.

"You're not the only one who doesn't feel pain", Leon said but I knew he was in a hell lot of pain; my gaze drifted to his injured arm.
"Leon", I called him, "Don't do this", I was more concerned about him hurting himself. He looked at me and dropped the man who had become unconscious. The other guys surrendered and Leon was taken to a field medic to get his bullet wound patched up and I walked to him once I made sure President and his family had departed safely for White House.

"The bullet just went past, don't be so much careless Leon", the lady doctor said; she had her back was towards me.
"Becky I was angry", he said and then he spotted me. He jumped off the examination table, "You okay? Did he hurt you?", he asked.
"No", I replied, "But he hurt you", I said looking at his bandaged arm.
"It's just a scratch", he said casually.
"When are you gonna learn, your anger is harmful to you and those around you", I said to him.
"Right said", the doctor said and I recognized her, she was the one who treated Zach the other day, "Aunt Kate, right?"
I nodded, "Aunt Kate?", Leon questioned her.
"She brought a kid the other day", she replied, "He loved her as a mother."
"Zach", Leon said.

(Leon's POV)

"You must be pretty close to know her nephew", Rebecca said teasing me.
"Actually Becky the boy you're talking about is my sister's son", I told her.
"But that means…", she was saying.
"She's his wife", John replied coming out of nowhere.
"Really?", she looked at me.
"Yes", I replied smiling.
"Really!?", she asked Kate.
"Yes", she replied.
"Nice to meet you, sorry but I thought these two were joking", she said shaking hands with Kate, "I couldn't attend your wedding, I was on my honeymoon and after that we were in Chicago and I just came here a few days before you brought that kid. But didn't you say your name was Kathleen Cornor."

"It's her maiden name Dr. Chambers", Daddy said coming out of nowhere.
"Agent Hank Cornor its been so long", Rebecca said and gave Daddy a hug.
"Leon, my boy how are you doing", Dad asked him.
"I am fine, Sir", he replied quite disciplined, "How are you doing, Sir?"
"No need for formalities", Dad said proudly, "You married my daughter."
"What are you doing here Dad?", I asked, "You were on vacation."
"Kate darling this is no way to meet your father", he said and Kate gave him a warm hug.
"Don't push yourself, you are old now", she said pulling away smiling.
"I know sweetie, that's why I've been promoted and now I'll be helping David manage the Agency and its Agents", he told us smiling and we all clapped.
"Thank you! Thank you", he said modestly, "But the most important thing why am I here is because, I wanted to remind you about tomorrow."

"Oh my god!", Kate said slapping her forehead, "I almost forgot."
"What is tomorrow?", Rebecca asked.
"It's my mom's 50th Birthday", Kate told her.
"And you all are invited, please visit and be a part of our happiness", Kate's Dad said.
"That would be great", Rebecca said.

"Leon, I'd like to talk to you", Kate's father said, "in private."
"Okay", I said nodding and he lead the way
"So how is it going between you and her?", he asked me looking over Kate, who was busy talking with Rebecca.
"It's definitely not like you had expected", I told him casually.
"You still blame me for what happened", he asked me.
"Your own daughter blames you, I am a nobody, why shouldn't I?", I asked him.
"Kennedy", somebody called me.
"Please excuse me", I said and walked in the direction where the caller was standing.
"You're my son-in-law", he said from behind, "You have every right to be angry."

I heard it but I didn't stop to respond to him. There was no two thoughts about that I was his son-in-law and I had every right to complain to him about the mess he put both Kate and me in. If he had only seen me just as junior agent then things would have been a lot better between Kate and me. It all would have been a totally different story.

(Kate's POV)

"Kate", I looked back at mention of my name it was Dad, "Going home?"
"Yes", I made a short reply.
"Let me drop you home", he said and I agreed.
"So how're twins", I asked referring to my younger sisters.
"Both of them passed exams with top grades", Dad told me, "Just like you", he looked at me smiling.
"Liza was good at studies too", I reminded him.
"All four of you are", Dad said, "I visited your mom's grave yesterday", he told me sighing, "She…."
"… wanted me to be happy, right?", I repeated his usual dialogue, "How can I be happy dad?"
"Leon is nice guy", Dad said.
"He's not the guy for me", I snapped, "Look I don't wanna discuss it, please", I said calming down.

"If you deal with him this calmly maybe you'd…", he didn't complete his sentence, "You argued with him today."
"We argue everyday daddy", I told him, "And please stop the car here if you wanna discuss my married life because I am not in a mood to waste time discussing unchangeable things like marriage", I made myself clear and Dad didn't discuss it again but instead he told me about the party tomorrow.

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