A/N: Thanks to all of you who are taking out time to read this story and a little extra special thanks to Shirahane Aikawa, Tealz and Mercenary Nemesis who took time to review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil or any of its characters appearing in the story, they all belong to Capcom.

Chapter 25

(Leon's POV)

I returned home very late but still early considering my case and all seemed too quiet but like always Shadow ran to me, welcoming me. I was really hungry but I wanted to check on Kate first because this silence was killing me, so I headed upstairs and when I opened the bedroom door, there was no one there but a letter caught my eye. I moved to pick it up. I unfolded it and found out it was from Kate.

Leon

I had to leave immediately and unexpectedly for a mission, can't tell you the details it's an undercover mission but it's nothing much. The dinner's in the fridge, red bowl. Don't mess up the house till I come back. Take care of Shadow and make sure he eats something he wasn't eating when he knew I was leaving. Come back home early for Shadow's sake since I won't be able to bring him back for few days. The call came when I was shopping so all I could get was two day's ration but I have asked Claire to take care of it and if you can please clean the dishes after eating. Before sleeping, remember to fill the jug, I have done it for today. You forgot to pay the phone bills and it has become dead so pay them before they impose the fine. Goodbye!

Take care

Kate

'At least you should have given me the chance to say goodbye', I thought sadly.
"Oh hey you're back early", I turned sideways and spotted Kate coming out of bathroom. She was dressed to go out, "And you have read the letter, that makes things easy."
"You're still here!", I was able to say this only because I was surprised that I didn't notice her in the bathroom.
"Yeah I was just about to leave as soon as the taxi comes", she told me rounding about the bed and checking things in her hand bag, "How come you're early?"
"I wasn't feeling well", I told her and she dropped her bag.

(Kate's POV)

"What happened?", I asked moving to Leon checking his temperature and yeah his head felt a little warm, "You are getting a fever", I said concerned.
"Really?", Leon said touching his head.
"You are saying as if you didn't know", I said concerned and moved to get my phone.
"I didn't", Leon said, "I was lying since I wanted to come home early."
I glared at him for being careless but I had more important things to deal with, like he's sick and I can't leave since if I left then there would be nobody to look after him. The only thing I could do right now was decline this mission, so I called Greg Saunders.

"Everything is ready for your departure Cornor", Saunders said the moment he picked up his phone.
"Mr. Saunders…", I began.
"Please call me Greg, now we'll be working together", he said flirting.
"Uh… yes Greg", I said uninterested in his flirting, "It's a last minute call but I cannot take this mission."
"What? Why?", he yelled on phone so loud that Leon looked in my direction.
"Well a very urgent and important stuff came up and I can't leave city for at least a few more days", I told him sitting by Leon's side.
"You have to come, Cornor", he yelled like mad.
"I told you I can't come. You have two hours to find my substitute, so get on that instead of arguing with me", I tried to say it as calmly as I could.
"You…", Saunders began but I was not in a mood to listen to his crap so I disconnected.

(Leon's POV)

Kate sighed and her phone rang again, she looked at it irritated rejected the call and switched it off, "I might change my number", she muttered under her breath and headed inside the bathroom.

"Hey mind telling me what is the urgent and important stuff?", I called after her since I knew there was nothing as such.
"It's you, you idiot", she came back with a thermometer, "Open your mouth", she ordered me. I did as she said and she put the thermometer in it.
"You know I am alright", I tried to speak with the thermometer in my mouth.
"Shut up", she warned me and I sat quiet for a minute until she withdrew the thermometer.
"It's just 100 degrees", I said reading the thermometer as she did too and she glared.
"It's not about hundred degrees it's about how you managed to get sick", she scolded me, "I am here and you're falling sick once I am gone who'd look after you, you don't listen to anyone. You just want to kill yourself", she said moving to get the meds from medicine cabinet.

I knew Kate cared about me but I didn't know she cared this much. Her supervisor is really an egoist and today she hammered that big ego of his just to be with me because I had a mild fever. She held the meds and water in front of me and I took them looking at her, "Thank You!", I thanked her.
"Call Hunnigan tell her you're sick so no early morning shifts, you need rest…", her voice trailed off as I just stared at her as she moved around the room doing work scolding me about getting sick and then she moved to me, "Are you even listening? You feeling well?", she asked concerned touching my head again.
"Yeah I am fine", I told her smiling weakly, I wished to fall sick everyday so she could stay with me and treat me like she is treating me right now.
"Go get a Shower, I'll get dinner ready for you", she said walking out.

I did what I was told and got in the shower, thanks to Kate I was having a hot shower something that I needed. When I got down hot dinner was waiting for me. Kate served it to me and then headed upstairs and then came back a little later in her night dress by the time I was done with my dinner. She took the plates away and literally ordered me to sleep and not to watch TV like I was 5-year-old. I wouldn't have listened to her if she had been awake working but since she was about to sleep that time I agreed to her. I never knew why or what made me but I couldn't sleep when she was awake maybe it has become my habit to fall asleep staring at her back.

(Kate's POV)

"Kate you are in big trouble", John said this when I reached work the next day.
"What are you saying?", I asked him sitting on my desk but before he could answer that I saw it on my desk. It was a probation letter, my first probation letter.
"You're put on probation", John said as I picked up that letter.

I opened it up and read it, it said that my performance as a agent was really bad since I don't listen to my superiors, disrespect them and more importantly back out on colleagues at the last moment. When I read this Saunders' deviously smiling face flashed in my mind, it was all his doing since I declined the mission I had with him, if I knew from the beginning I had to work with him I would have declined it but Leon's unexpected fever saved me from working with him.

John's uncontrollable laughter brought me back and I read further on to know who my probation officer was and what chances I have to keep my job. I just hoped that it isn't Saunders and when I read the name I couldn't help but smile as I understood why John was laughing, "Leon S. Kennedy, your probation officer", John said out loud and laughed like hell.

"Leon S. Kennedy", I looked up hearing someone speak his name so bitterly, "You'll have fun with him, as your probation officer", Saunders said gritting his teeth.
"Yeah maybe I'll, Saunders", I said getting up since if Leon was my probation officer then I had to work with him.
"That's Mr. Gregory Saunders to you", he said angrily grabbing my arm turning me to look at him.
"Don't make me punch you", I warned him.
"You'll punch me", his grip became tighter on my arm.
"Hey woah easy with the lady here Saunders", John said releasing me from Saunders grip, "Don't forget we are respectable people."
Saunders just smiled angrily, "Kennedy will show you hell Cornor", he said walking away.

"In your dreams", I muttered under my breath, "Thanks John!"
"No problem, you owe me now", John said, "So treat me to dinner tonight."
"Okay John bring Rachel along", I said collecting my things and moving towards Mr. Trapp's cabin.
"Just don't tell her that I invited myself", John yelled after me.
"Alright", I said turning to look at him briefly. I knocked at Mr. Trapp, "Can I come in?"
"Uh… Kate I was about to call you", he said looking up at me.
"Yeah I got the letter", I said showing him the letter, "So I have to join Leon then?", I asked.
"Well he called just now, he took you off of probation", he told me.
"Just like that!?", I asked surprised.
"Yeah just like that, said that you were in the probation because of him so he's pulling you out of probation", Mr. Trapp said smiling at me.
'That idiot', I couldn't help but think, everyone should learn how to repay back from him.

"Anyways I have an undercover mission for you and the President himself wanted you on this thing", Mr. Trapp said giving me the file, "As you can see everything is quite simple, we've arranged for you there. You'd have to leave tomorrow so get going. I am giving you the day off, study the case, do your packing and prepare for it and I am afraid you cannot decline this one."
"I accept it", I said smiling and headed out of his cabin.

I took a taxi directly to home, since it was too early to get Shadow. I changed into home clothes and leisurely spent my time reading the file memorizing stuff. The mission was small time but it involved the President himself, so it was not that much of a small time. After I got bored of reading that file, I packed a couple of my clothes since this mission would take around one week.

My phone rang once I was done packing, so I picked it up, "Hello", I answered without even seeing who the caller was.
"Hey it's Claire", Claire said from the other end.
"Yes, Claire how can I help you", I asked descending down the steps.
"You called John for dinner, what about me", Claire said trying to sound offended by the fact.
"I totally forgot about that, you can come too; bring Chris and Jill with you as well", I said moving into the kitchen.
"That sounds great", Claire said cheerfully, "See you in the evening."
"Yeah", I said smiling myself and she disconnected.
Since I was going on a mission yesterday so I couldn't shop so if I was treating them then I need to get groceries and stuff. So I took a cab to grocery store shopped for groceries, then since it was almost evening time so I got Shadow too on my way back then spent a few hours cooking for the guests.

(Leon's POV)

'I am so tired', I thought getting in the car after a long days work. I just hoped Kate is not sleeping since I felt too much tired to move even a muscle. I might even tell her to feed me, I smiled at this thought. I tried to keep my eyes open because I really felt like sleeping while driving. I felt relieved when I saw my home and to my surprise the lights were on and I looked at my watch, it was something about a little over 12:00 am.

I parked my car and dragged my feet inside the house and the moment I entered the house the lights went out. I moved further in and bumped into someone and that someone grabbed my collar and before I knew I was on my back, "Who are you?", Kate asked her knee was against my chest.
"Nice legs", I said touching her legs.
"You're definitely a pervert", she said getting off of me. She switched on the light and moved in the kitchen and I got up and followed her. By the time I reached there she was already getting dinner for me. She looked at me briefly, "You okay?", she asked concerned.
I nodded, "Tired", I replied and she rolled her eyes. I took a seat on the small chair by the counter and watched her heat up the dinner and set in front of me.

(Kate's POV)

I watched Leon eat for a bit, I can make out his tiredness, it was literally dripping from his face, god only knows what he did today. I was just worried that he doesn't fall sick because I had to leave tomorrow and I can't decline this mission. I got lucky that Saunders thought Leon would show me hell, not knowing he would be the last person to do that. It was true that we didn't get along and for something or the other reasons we do bound to hurt the other but we never do it purposely, we never try to hurt each other. Things just slip from one's hand and hit the other and we both know that the other didn't do it purposely maybe that was the reason why we were still trying to get everything fixed between us.

Leon's coughing brought me back to reality and I gave him water, "Easy", I said rubbing his back .
"Thanks", he said setting the water glass back down and I couldn't help but check his temperature, "I am fine sweetheart, just tired", he said maybe reading my concern.
"That's because you work too much", I said glaring at him.
"If I won't work too much then we'll be one reason short for argument", he commented smiling.
"Shut up and eat", I said hitting him and moved out of the kitchen smiling to head to the bedroom to sleep.

(Kate's POV)

"So what mission is this again", Leon asked me for the hundredth time.

"Can't tell you it's an undercover mission", I replied for the hundredth time. When I told him I had to leave the city to take on an undercover mission, he said he'll drop me like always. When I told him I'll be leaving at 3:00pm by a commercial flight, he said he would return from work to see me off that we even had a argument on that which ended when I didn't respond and he went to work but to my surprise he returned at 12:00pm like he said and I had to no option but agree to his wishes. And throughout the drive from home to airport he kept asking what the mission was about but since it was an undercover mission I couldn't tell him the details. I was also not telling him because I was seeing his this face for the first time and I was loving this side of him.

(Leon's POV)

"Kate", I called out and my throat felt dry. She hummed to tell me she was listening, "Look I know you cannot disclose anything but…", I couldn't make myself to say that. I was trying to say for sometime but I didn't know how to ask her and always ended up asking what was the mission.
"But… what?", she asked as my paused went too long.
"You're not going to…", I tried to choose my words really carefully, "Last time you got hurt, would this time…"
"It's nothing as such this time", she assured me smiling, "You'll know soon enough."
"Why not now", I asked her.
"They told me not to tell anyone", she said to me, "Its just a matter of few days, I'll be back in few days."
"You better because I couldn't get myself to sleep without your silly arguments", I said parking the car at the airport car park and she glared at me.

"My silly arguments", Kate said furiously.
"Yeah", I said casually.
"I am not falling for this", she said and got out. I followed her out and no matter what I said she didn't answer or quipped back, just kept her mouth shut. Between all that I never knew when her flight announcement was made and when she left without saying a proper goodbye as always.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed. I apologize for any inconvenience due to any mistakes in the text.