A/N: I am highly grateful to all the readers for showing their immense support to this story. And I am much more grateful to the reviewers GrayFox786, anonymous reviewer, hodhod2011danger and Adela, for leaving their lovely reviews! I am glad you all like this story.

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


Chapter 51

(Leon's POV)

Shadow rushed to greet me as I got in the house and I patted his head once. I walked to the living area and saw Kate was lounging on the couch reading some novel of hers; her legs were covered with a blanket, well the nights sure were getting colder now, "How come you're home early?", she asked me concerned looking up from her novel once she was aware of my presence, "Don't look so good either", she got up and approached me, and touched my head to feel the temperature.
"I am fine", I told her, "Was relieved from tagging along with Ashley because I had a meeting with the President about…", I went with the flow but stopped at the right moment, "about stuff."

Kate stared at me for a bit, trying to read me like always, "So, hungry?", she asked after a while still looking at me as if trying to figure out a hard puzzle.
"Very", I told her with a slight smile.
"Freshen up, I'll set dinner for you", she said smiling brightly at me and I nodded in agreement.

Kate moved towards the kitchen as I headed up the stairs. I was early but it was already 9:00 PM, so I just decided to wear my sleeping attire after the shower. When I got down Kate had everything prepared for me. I sat on my usual seat and she took a seat next to me, "You had dinner?", I asked her starting to eat mine.
"Of course, I had it around 7:00-7:30PM", she told me rolling her eyes. I just replied with slight nod and continued my dinner in silence, "Something bothering you?", she asked half way through it and I looked at her, "you don't have to tell me everything", she added, "but it would help if…."
"How do you do it?", I asked her sighing, feeling the weakest of my smiles creep up on to my face.
"Don't change the subject", she said faking an annoyed tone.
"I am not changing it", I said and added quickly, "By the way this tastes exceptionally good."
"Leon", she crossed her arms.
"What?! I am not flirting, it's an honest compliment", I said shrugging, "the least you could do is say thank you."
"It's not about that", she unfolded her arms and sighed, "And I am grateful that you like the dinner I made", she took a pause and just watched me eat, "I'd just leave you to have your dinner in peace", she added rising from her seat to move away.

(Kate's POV)

I turned to move when Leon grabbed my hand and I looked back at him. It didn't really show on his face but I knew from experience that there was something that was bothering him, "I'll be fine", he said looking up at me, "Don't worry!", he kissed my hand before letting it go.
"It's not easy to not worry for you, you know", I stated the fact as he got back to his dinner.
"I know", he said swallowing food without even chewing it and began coughing.
"See this is what I am talking about", I said rubbing his back with one hand offering him water with another, "You're such a kid some times. God, what am I supposed to do with you!"
Leon drank water, "Make love to me!", he suggested laughing.
"Idiot!", I hit his shoulder furiously and moved to put his empty plate in the sink.
"I am serious", he yelled after me and that really made me blush.
"Idiot", I couldn't help but say dumping the plates in the sink but at the same time I couldn't help but smile, feeling maybe a million butterflies in my stomach.

When I walked back to the living room, I found Leon settled on one end of couch watching TV, "you heading up to sleep?", he asked me.
"No, I'll read this book for a bit", I said settling on the opposite end of the couch. I pulled my legs up and covered them with the blanket again, getting back to my novel and there was a loud scream startling me, "What are you watching?", I asked him out of curiosity.
"Horror movie", he replied not taking his eyes off the screen.
"Which one?", I asked sitting straight looking at the screen and then the jump scare scene made me clung to Leon's arm, "I hate it when that happens", I commented, my heart beating ten times the normal.
"I think they're what makes a good horror movie", he said smiling looking sideways at me, "plus it had other benefits to too", he added referring to me holding his arm and I let it go, moving back to my old position.

"You'd catch a cold", I said trying to divert his attention away from flirting and also because his body felt a bit cold, "go get a blanket from upstairs."
"I can use this one", he said pulling the blanket on my legs and it slipped off my legs since we were on the opposite ends of couch.
"Leon!", I couldn't help but say furiously.
"What?!", he asked tearing his eyes away from the screen briefly.

(Leon's POV)

"I am using that you know", Kate said but my attention was more on her sexy legs.
"What?", I mumbled as she pulled the blanket on them.
"Get a blanket from upstairs", she said getting back to her book.
"We can share this one", I said to her.
"No, it's a bit small for both of us as you've already witnessed", she said looking over the novel.
"Well I am fine without a blanket then", I turned to watch TV.

"Leon, you're so stubborn sometimes", Kate said getting up and throwing the blanket on me, "I'd get a blanket for myself", she added furiously but I grabbed her hand and pulled her back.
I covered her with blanket saying, "See we can share this one", I pulled her close and the blanket was more than enough for both of us, now that we were close.
"You're an idiot!", she said with a sweet smile and I couldn't help but smile myself quickly stealing a kiss and she hit me, "Stop doing that!"
"You didn't say that the last time I kissed you", I reminded her of the last kiss, although it was more or less in the heat of moment, but still it just happened yesterday.

Kate blushed profusely, making me want to kiss her once more but I didn't because I enjoyed the look on her face. She avoided my gaze and turned her head towards the TV, pretending to watch the movie but I couldn't stop staring at her. I couldn't help but wonder how much blood she had in her body to fill up her face like that, making her go redder by the seconds. She turned my face to look at the TV screen, so that I could stop looking at her but I turned my head to look at her again. It happened quite a few times that she forcibly turned my head to the TV screen and I immediately turned it back to admire her beauty.

"Leon!", Kate said in a defeated tone, finally turning to look at me, the red color never leaving her face.
"Hmm…", I hummed in acknowledgement as she smiled.
"Will you stop looking at me, please?", she requested of me, still blushing red.
"No", I replied shaking my head in negative and she covered my eyes, "Hey!", I almost shout out in protest from not being able to see her face anymore.
"Watch the movie and not my face!", she said faking an annoyed tone.
"I would if you stop covering my eyes", I reasoned with her and she uncovered my eyes.

I reluctantly turned my head to the television and we watched the movie in silence. The only sounds in the room were dialogues of the movie or screams of the actors. More than once I was tempted to turn my head to look at her but I didn't want to make her feel any more uncomfortable. It was when the movie ended; I turned my head to look at Kate and noticed she was already asleep with her head comfortably resting on my shoulder. She looked really cute whilst sleeping like that and it was the perfect moment for me to admire her beauty uninterrupted.

I tried to stay still and not make too many movements that might wake her up. I turned off the TV so that there was complete silence, so there was no disturbance to my sleeping wife. I really felt warm being next to her to like this. This moment here made me feel so ordinary and yet exceptionally special at the same time. I forgot the nightmare I lived just a couple of hours ago. I leaned in and slowly pecked her forehead lovingly and she stirred a little and woke up.

"Is the movie over?", she asked in almost a whisper.
"Yeah", I responded with a nod.
"Let's go and sleep, it's late", she said and started to move away.
"Can we…", I began but I wasn't sure if I should say it.
Kate looked at me questioningly for a while before saying, "What?"
"Nothing", I said deciding against it and got up from the couch.
"Okay", she said getting up too. Kate grabbed her things and we both headed upstairs to our bedroom. We climbed on to bed and took our usual positions on the opposite ends of bed.

(Kate's POV)

I turned to my other side to face Leon, for some time now I slept more comfortably facing in his direction. The first thing I noticed, when I turned, was him staring up at the ceiling thinking about something. I could read him and tell how he felt but how I wished I could read what's going on his mind too. I didn't know how to approach the situation, since if it was something he wanted to stay hidden from me he would do everything in his power to do that, "Hey you'd catch cold", I said it again noticing he didn't have any blanket on him.

"I am fine", he said dryly not looking at me.
"No you're not", I said and I don't know why but I moved closer and threw blanket over him, "And I don't want you getting sick."
Leon turned and threw an arm around my waist too saying, "Thanks!"
'Is that what he was thinking?!', I couldn't help but wonder as he looked very much peaceful now as compared to before. We stared into each others' eyes and there was nothing more to say as we both silently wished each other good night. I closed my eyes to these new found old feelings and let the sleep take over.


(Kate's POV)

"I am coming! I am coming!", I yelled over the sounds of continuous doorbells as I hurried towards the door, "When will you two learn to act your age?!", I said pulling open the door for twins as they jumped with joy and hugged me, "Liz?", I said spotting my older sister, moving to hug her, "I thought you guys left", I added pulling away.
"We did but then Sam and I came to conclusion that it's better for the baby if we settle somewhere near our relatives", she said as I let them in the house.
"Great choice!", I said taking Kevin from her, "Now you can play with aunt Kate", I tickled him and he giggled.
"That's not why we're here", Liza said and I looked at her.
"We're are going shopping and you're coming with us", Leslie said with a huge smile.
"And we won't take no for an answer", Jessica said mirroring her twin.
"Well I'll go get changed then", I said handing Kevin back to Liza.

I went upstairs and changed something to go out while my sisters waited in the living area. I had a bunch of chores remaining but I could always do them later. Leon wasn't coming home before 9:00PM either so I could make dinner late too. Besides, there was not always that I went on shopping with my sisters. I dressed for shopping and descended down the stairs, informing them that I was ready to go. And we headed out to the mall without wasting any time. Liza bought a lot of baby stuff and currently we were helping her choose a dress for a formal occasion.

"By the way, what's the occasion?", I asked her going through the dresses, so I could help her choose accordingly.
"Sam is taking me out to dinner tomorrow night since it's our anniversary", she told me slyly.
"Aah", I said in realization, "Sorry I forgot about it."
"It's fine!", she said waving a hand casually, "I don't care if anyone remembers it unless it is Sam", and we both laughed together.
"How about this one?", I said pulling out a maroon dress.
"Great, it's his favorite color", she said checking it out, "I'd try it out."

Once her dress was finalized, she spent some time on the shoes, "Everything's done?", I asked her as she checked her shopping bags.
"Just one thing remaining", she gave me mischievously playful grin.
"What?!", I asked her confused.
"Sexy lingerie or a sexy nightdress", she said pointing to a lingerie store, "I might as well surprise Sam, c'mon."

Liza dragged us to the store and got busy in choosing something that Sam would like, "You should buy something for yourself too", she said to me holding up a purple dress.
"No I am fine", I said to her, shaking my head.
"Oh c'mon don't be shy", Liza said nudging me teasingly.
"I am not shy", I said defensively.
"Yeah so buy one", she said being pushy.
"Hey it's not my anniversary", I reminded her.
"Well men love surprises like these, believe me", she said with a trust-me look, "and I am sure Leon wouldn't mind it either."
"No thanks!", I said crossing my arms.
"Look this black one would really look good on you", she said holding up black lacy nightdress, "What do you say, girls?", she asked the twins.
"She'd look hot", Leslie said with wide smile.
"I agree with both of my sisters", Jessica said nodding.
"I am going to be in another store, call me when you are done", I said and started to move out.
"Oh Kate you really are an un-colorful person", Liza commented with a disappointed pout, "I don't know what Leon sees in you."
'I don't know that either', I thought to myself exiting the shop.

I wasn't really planning to buy anything and just wanted to avoid any sort of embarrassing or uncomfortable chat with Liza about my married life. I went to different shops just to kill time by browsing through the things on display but eventually I ended up buying a few things for Leon and me. When I returned to join my sisters, Liza was still confused about what to buy, so I had to wait a little more, and this time luckily she didn't suggest anything for me to buy. I played with her son till she shopped a few other stuff and we all headed home, since it was getting a little late.


(Leon's POV)

When I reached our house I was a bit surprised to see the lights were still on. I involuntarily checked my watch as I turned off the car engine, it was over 11:00PM; usually Kate is asleep by now. I got a bit worried as I walked to my house; I used my keys to get in and stood at the doorstep for a while, taking in the surroundings to make sure everything was alright. Nothing really seemed odd as Shadow rushed down the stairs happily to greet me, like always. I closed the door and petted him. I decided to keep dinner for later and check on Kate first. I climbed the stairs to head to bedroom; seemingly she was there since Shadow came from there as well. I pushed open the bedroom door to find her spreading bed sheet on the bed.

"Hey sweetheart!", I greeted her with a smile as Kate looked up in my direction.
"Hey honey", she mocked my tone and played along making me smile even more, "You already had dinner, sweetie?", she asked like a concerned housewife.
"No babe", I replied moving to her, "I thought it's better to check on my beautiful wife before anything else", I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.
"Is that so?", she said raising one of her brows hooking her arms on my neck, "How was your day?", she asked with a warm smile.
She was behaving too much like a wife and I couldn't believe my luck, "It was really crap but if this is the kind of treatment I am getting then it was all worth it", I replied with an almost dry throat.

Kate smiled and almost let out a laugh, "You really have odd timings for things, Leon", she said dropping the act, unhooking her arms from my neck.
"Why do you say that?", I asked her, not letting her go.
"Normally people would be too tired to flirt right now", she said smiling, "And you can flirt anytime, maybe even in sleep."
"Believe me sweetheart, if normal people had a wife like you they'd do more than just flirt", I told her leaning close.
"You're dripping with tiredness and you still come up with such stuff", she said pushing me back but I could make out that she was blushing slightly, "Go have a shower and I'd heat up dinner for you once I am done changing the beddings", she pushed me away but I didn't want to let her go.
"Aww… you breaking my heart sweetheart!", I said not hiding the disappointment in my tone.
"Stop joking around and just go already!", she pushed me real hard with all her strength and I reluctantly let go of her. I really loved being in her embrace.

"How come you're still awake?", I asked her, moving towards the wardrobe as she got back to what she was doing.
"I went shopping with twins and Liza", she replied tucking the bed sheet under the mattress, "so I got late with house chores."
"Liza's here?", I asked pulling open the wardrobe.
"Yeah they are moving to DC", she replied as I spotted a shopping bag in my section of wardrobe.
"What's this?", I asked her and she looked back briefly to see what I was talking about.
"Oh I got that for you", she replied turning her back at me again pulling the pillow covers. And I looked inside the bag, "If you don't like it, we can get it changed."

(Kate's POV)

"Well I like it", Leon replied and he seemed a little taken aback, probably he wasn't expecting it, even though it wasn't uncommon for me to buy him things from time to time.
"Great, it's a nice color isn't it?", I asked him with a smile, "although…", I was saying when he cut me in between.
"Yeah black sure is hot and sexy", he told me sounding a little dazed.
"Black?!", I turned hearing that word since I didn't get him anything black and to my horror he was holding a black lacy nightdress, which I had no idea of buying, "That's Liza's!", I told him as I was reminded that she was the one suggesting me to buy that thing, maybe she bought it for her own in the end.
"Liza wouldn't fit in this one", Leon said with a boyish grin eyeing me as if saying, 'you would definitely fit in this one for sure.'
"I didn't buy it", I said shaking my head in a 'NO' nervously.
"Well it was in the shopping bag", Leon said pointing at the bag, "Don't tell me you bought it for me", he acted all shocked. He exactly knew the situation and was just having fun toying around, "I don't think it would fit me though", he added holding it against his body for measurements and I hurried to him.

"Give me that!", I said furiously snatching the outfit from him.
"Why?! You putting it on right now?", Leon asked teasing me sitting straight in excitement, "That's a great surprise you got me."
"The only thing I got for you are these shirts", I almost yelled in frustration pulling out the shirts I got for him.
"Oh well you can't blame me for paying too much attention to that piece of nightdress and not noticing these were there too", Leon said not showing too much interest about the shirts, "I got really excited about seeing you in that", he eyed the clothing in my hand, "you really didn't get it for us to...", he didn't complete his sentence hoping that I'd fill the blanks as he asked in confirmation.
"NO!", I almost yelled it out loud, feeling furious and embarrassed at the same time, possibly turning a hundred shades of red as well. I really wanted to go somewhere and hide to avoid facing Leon at this instant, "I don't even know how it got in there", and then a pair of identical faces zoomed in my head making me slap my face, "Those twins!", I felt a rage run through me, "I am going to return it tomorrow", I said shoving it in the shopping bag angrily and moving to keep it back in the wardrobe.

"It would have been a real treat to see you in that", Leon muttered letting out a disappointed sigh.
"What?", I asked almost out of reflex with a bit of shock and turning to look back at him. I never thought he considered me that way.
"What?!", he repeated oblivious that I heard him.

I could have repeated word to word what he said, but then dreading the answer I just said, "Never mind that. It's late and I have to get up early. So you hit the shower and I'll go get the dinner ready for you."

(Leon's POV)

I nodded in response and Kate left the room to head to the kitchen. And once again I moved to the wardrobe to get my clothes but the moment I opened the wardrobe door the shopping bag she kept fell and its content tumbled out. I picked up the nightwear and couldn't help but let out a sigh of disappointment. The moment I saw them for the first time, I couldn't keep my head clear of the images of Kate filling this dress. At first I thought she really got it for us and my heart raced like hell thinking about all the possibilities, but it was almost heartbreak when it turned out to be a twins' prank.

I sat on the loveseat wondering many different things; the dominant ones were how would Kate look in this sexy nightdress and how she was in bed. Throughout our relationship we were always a hair close to being that intimate but it never happened; guess we both were trained too well on controlling ourselves. Kate could give me all I wanted with just one hug and her kisses left me wanting for more but I don't have any clues as to what she is like in bed. If I had to guess I won't say she would be bad and the thing my mind was hooked on to know was if she was good, great or awesome.

I sighed again shoving the dress back in the shopping bag since I had no way of knowing except one, which seemed a farfetched thought as of now. I put the bag where Kate had kept it, took my clothes and headed for shower. I really needed to cool myself off and get rid of some of these thoughts if not all.


A/N: Thanks for taking out time to read. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and I apologize for any mistakes and grammatical errors. See you all next week!