A/N: Thanks for all the support!

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil or any of its characters; they all belong to Capcom.

Chapter 25

(Leon's POV)

I woke up when I heard the words, "Wake up, lovebirds!", I opened my eyes to see Claire.
My eyes squinted in the reflex to the sunlight, which flooded the room as someone pulled the curtains to the side, "They looked cute together", I heard my mom say.
"Good Morning!", Claire said as Kate sat up, once I loosened my grip on her.
"Good morning dears, had a nice sleep?", mom asked us.
"Well of course they had", Claire said cheerfully before either Kate or I could respond to her.

"Grow up!", Kate said going redm getting off the bed.
"Hey I am older to you, show some respect", Claire said acting offended crossing her arms but with a broad grin on her face.
"That's more the reason to grow up", Kate said pulling up her hair and making a bun out of it. Claire opened her mouth to argue but Kate spoke again cutting in between, "I have just 2 hours to get ready for work", she looked at the time.

"You'll work now?!", I said as I couldn't help but be a bit surprised as she moved to get her things from the couch, on which she was sleeping earlier.
"Yes, you're not the only one with hectic work schedules", Kate told me gathering her stuff as I tried to sit up with mom's and Claire's help, "Though mine is a little less hectic than yours", then she turned to Claire, "Can you take me home?"
"Of course", Claire said rolling her eyes as if it was pretty obvious, "See you in a bit Leon, when I get her back to work", and I just smiled at her.
"Take care!", Kate said to me, "I'll be checking up on you during my rounds and breaks", with that both women left.

"Sweet girls", mom broke the silence and I looked at her.
"Yeah!", I said slamming my head back on the pillows and felt a searing pain in my head.
"Easy", mom said almost scolding me.
"I'd go freshen up and take a bath", I said to her getting off my bed.
"I don't think that's advisable", Mom said concerned, trying to pull me back fruitlessly.
"I'll be fine mom", I told her heading to the bathroom and closing the door.
"Don't stress yourself", she shouted from the other side of the room.

I didn't reply and got on with my business. The entire time I spent inside the bathroom, mom kept asking me if I was doing fine. When I got out she plated breakfast for me and started scolding me, "You don't listen to me and go around doing unnecessary things. Wait till the doctor gets here, he'd give you an earful mister", mom said as I silently ate my breakfast. To mom's disappointment the doctor, who was woman, instead of asking me to be more careful just said that I am so strong that I am already recovering, "I don't know why they don't put Kate to your case, she's a better doctor than her", mom said scowling as the woman doctor left.

"Yeah she is, but its better that she's busy elsewhere", I couldn't help but say.
"Why? I thought you loved her", mom said in an obvious tone.
"We are just good friends mom", I told her with a laugh, which almost sounded sarcastic.
"Keep that cover for your friends, I am your mom and I know you like her", mom said smiling and then added, "a little secret, she likes you for sure. But I am little concerned about her brother. I hope you're in his good books."

Before I could reply the door opened and John walked in, "What's for breakfast?!", he asked as if he was walking in my mom's kitchen not my sick room.
"I made extra, help yourself", Mom said plating breakfast for him too, "I am afraid, they're not hot out of the kitchen."
"Tastes great though", John said thanking her, "How are you doing buddy?"
"I am fine", I told him dryly.
"I thought Red would be here", John said looking around.
"She took Kate home, will be back soon though", I told him wiping my mouth on a napkin.

"Where do you think you are going?", John asked as I got off the bed.
"To see Jacob and Adrian", I told him.
"You need to rest dude", John said pushing me back, "And if you want to go, use this", he pulled a wheelchair in front of me.
"I can walk John!", I almost shouted at him and pushed him away. I was a little out of balance since my head still felt a little heavier than usual but I didn't need a wheelchair.
"Leon, wait!", John said catching up to me, as I hurried out of the room.
"Where are they?", I asked him, my temper was rising for some reason.
"Those two rooms", John said in a defeated voice.

I walked to the first one and pushed the door open. It was Adrian's room, an elderly man was helping him with his breakfast, almost all of his body was in bandages, "Hey Leon, I heard you made it!", he said happily spotting me, "Dad, he's that guy I told you about last night, the old friend from my days at the police academy and he's the one who saved me from getting seriously hurt."
"Uh huh… ", his elderly father smiled remembering, "Very brave of you Mr. Kennedy. I am glad to know you both are safe and sound."
"And that's John Andrews, right?", he looked at John for confirmation who nodded in affirmation, "He works with Kennedy."
"Nice to meet you too", his dad said again, "Please take a seat and excuse me, I have to go talk to the doctor."

The three of us watched Adrian's dad exit the room, "Oh man I'm pretty much beat", he said groaning in pain and then added, "Don't tell this to dad though, it would break his heart but it be few days before I could stop being a burden on him and the least I could do is fake my wellness for the time being."
"We understand", I said to him.
"I bet you do, we all are in the same league", he said and laughed which turned into groans of pain, "man, I am beat", he complained again.
"You take rest, I'd go see Jacob", I told him standing up, "Take care!"
"You too, you're not that beat up but take rest", Andy said as we exited the room.

When I pushed open the door to Jacob's room, I saw his wife Sarah holding his hand and whispering to his comatose form. The sounds of opening door made Sarah look in our direction and she wiped her tears, "Leon!", she exclaimed seeing me, "Take a seat! You're hurt too", she said concerned, "Why you let him leave his room?", she added scolding John a little.
"You should be more concerned about Jacob", I said to her seriously.
"Jacob's in coma, Leon", she said and her voice cracked. It must have been really hard for her to say that, "Doctor's said they don't know when he'd wake up. He's not responding to me either", tears streaked down her face and for a moment Kate's tear streaked face flashed before my eyes.
"He'd be fine", John said comforting her, "He's a strong guy! He'd sail through."
"Thanks John!", Sarah said and faked a smile.

"How are your kids?", I asked trying to change the subject.
"I left them with my mom", she replied, "Dylan was fine, didn't cry much but it's hard to explain what happened to his daddy. And as you know Stacy is too little to understand."
"Yeah I know, I brought Jacob to hospital last month when she was born", I said faking a smile.
Sarah looked at her husband, "I really hope he wakes up soon", she said longingly, "But now you should go to your room and rest", she grabbed her bag, "I have to take Dylan to school and there's…", she looked at Jacob again as if in confirmation, "there's no one you could talk to", she said trying to hold back tears, "See you John", she faked a smile.
"See you", John said as I gripped the metal frame of Jacob's bed.
"Damn it!", I couldn't help but curse.
"It be alright", John said gripping my shoulder, "let's head back to the room."

I headed back to the room and mom scolded me a lot, like I was still a teenager and I just listened to her. She had all right to complain and scold me, she only stopped when Claire and Kate joined us. Mom told them about me heading out to see my friends and then Claire took on the role of my mother and scolded me and my mom just sat there with her arms crossed agreeing to her. Kate however didn't say anything to me but checked my pulse and headed out to work after asking me to take care of myself and warning me to not act rashly.

(Leon's POV)

I looked at the lady doctor that was examining my charts and eyeing me over it and then to mom, who still seemed a bit mad at the change of doctor attending me, "When can I leave, it's already been a week", I asked the lady doctor and it startled her a bit as she wasn't expecting it.
"Uh well uh", she studied the charts more seriously this time, "in 2-3 days", she replied.
"2 or 3?", I asked her again.
"Probably 3 or more", it was Kate who replied.
"Dr. Cornor?", the doctor said surprised spotting her, "he's my patient…"
"And my friend Dr. Gale", she said in reply with a beautiful smile and the said doctor looked at me.
"Well then I'll leave you guys to catch on", she said smiling flirtatiously at me and left the room.

"She has no interest in her work", my mom commented.
"Its probably because she has all her interest glued on to your son", John said entering, "Ready to head home Mrs. Kennedy?"
"Yes dear!", mom said getting up, "Take care of my Leon dear and don't trouble Kate too much", mom said to Kate and me respectively like usual.
"You don't have to worry", Kate assured her and mom smiled at her widely, "have a safe drive back home and good night!"
"Good night dears!", mom wished us and I mumbled a good night too.
"Enjoy your night together", John said with a note of mischief in his tone.

"Good night John!", Kate said and they left. Once they left she turned to me, "How are you doing?"
"I can tap dance all the way home", I told her annoyed by my stay at the hospital.
"I know you don't like it here but please it's for your own good", she said taking a seat next to me.
"Yeah right!", I said sarcastically.
"Leon, we talked about this many times…", she began.
"I just want to go home Kate", I cut her in between.
"You'll go home, just a few more days", she said really concerned but more than that she was tired.
"Why don't you go home and rest", I said to her, I hated seeing her like this, "I don't need you here anymore."
"But I want to be here", she said pressing on it, "I don't think I can sleep at home knowing that you're spending your nights in a hospital."
"Let's just sleep", I said even though I didn't feel like sleeping but it was all I could do to stop looking at her face that made me feel miserable by the seconds.
"Great idea!", she said and smiled.

Like every day she settled on the couch and I pretended to sleep on the bed. I stared at the opposite wall for long hours, wondering about a lot of things and mostly about Kate and me. I turned to my other side to look at Kate. She was sleeping on that so uncomfortable couch and she seemed cold. I got off the bed and kneeled next to her and couldn't help but wonder what she did to deserve this, 'She fell in love with you', my inner voice answered me. I pulled the slipping blanket on her and watched her sleeping form, for how long I just didn't know. But it was when I felt suffocated; I decided to leave the room to get some fresh air.

The corridor was deserted and my feet steered me to Jacob's room, when I got close however I heard someone sobbing. I looked through the small glass cut out on the door, Sarah was there lying next to Jacob, who still had his eyes tightly shut. I couldn't hear what she was whispering to him between her sobs, but I somehow knew she was praying for him to wake up. And tears were streaming down the sides of Jacob's face, which was normal thing for someone in coma; it was not a reaction to anything as per doctors. But I knew he was crying because his wife was crying. I tore my eyes away from the scene the more I saw Jacob the more I wanted to leave this hospital.

I turned to head back to my room when I couldn't help and check out on Adrian. He was trying to reach out to his elderly father, who was sleeping in a uncomfortable chair, trying to cover his father with a blanket. I walked inside and covered his father in his stead. He looked up to me with unmistakably teary eyes, probably because of the sense of being useless now that he can't even pull a simple blanket over his father. He thanked me silently and I gave in an understanding nod before leaving to head back to my room to try to get some sleep, which would eventually be there since I was on some meds that made me sleepy.

(Leon's POV)

My phone buzzed and I saw that Kate was calling me, "Hello?", I said answering it.
"Leon, you got discharged, why didn't you inform me?", she asked in an almost shocked tone, "I went to your room to check on you and it was empty."
"I am sorry, it slipped my mind", I replied.
"Okay never mind, I got off so I'd be there at your place in few", she told me dismissively.
"Kate, I am work", I informed her relaxing on my chair.
"What?!", she screamed in astonishment on the other end, "Leon, you just got off the hospital, at least take rest for a day."

"I've been resting for over 2 weeks now", I couldn't help but say, "Plus I feel fine and fit enough to work and it's just paperwork."
"Okay when you're going back?", she asked me straight to the point.
"I don't have a clue as of now", I answered.
"Okay so meet me for the coffee like usual", she suggested.
"I can't, I've too much pending work so it's not possible", I told her trying to keep my voice neutral.
"Really or are you just making up excuses now?", she asked catching up on my lies.

"I am really busy", I tried to sound convincing.
She sighed, "Okay then, are you available tomorrow morning? We could have breakfast together", she said sounding tired and defeated.
"Actually I'd be leaving earlier than usual for work, my schedule's been changed now that I've been assigned to do paperwork", I made another excuse.
"Okay so let me know whenever you get home. I'd come and meet you", she said being accommodating.
"Kate, I have to go now. Hunnigan's calling me", I said to her and without waiting for her to speak I disconnected.

I looked at my phone for a whole long minute and got back to the paper work. Kate didn't call back again and I really didn't know if it was good or bad since I couldn't stop thinking about her and wanted to call her, and at the same time didn't want to talk to her and make things hard for both of us. All those long free hours at hospital made me think, think really hard and made me realize that nothing good would come from me being together with Kate. I might end up dying, leaving her alone or worse end up like Adrian or Jacob and watch her suffer when I wouldn't be able to do anything to comfort her. I regretted the times I made her feel I loved her but I was thankful that I never confessed my feelings for her. Being in love with her really made me lose my mind and I really did some stupid things but not anymore, starting from today I am going to set everything right.

A/N: Thanks for taking out time to read. I really hope you enjoyed the chapter. I apologize for any grammatical mistakes and typos that made it inconvenient for you to understand the context.