A/N: I am very thankful to all the reads and a little extra thankful to the reviewers Mercenary Nemesis and Shirahane Aikawa.

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

Chapter 9

(Leon's POV)

"What! You're assigning me as Ashley's bodyguard again?!", I almost screamed in astonishment. I thought or more of hoped that until Kate gets her memory back I would be free from Ashley.
"Sorry, but we haven't told the President about our suspicions towards Kate. And he thinks you're off slacking here, and Ashley keeps ranting about getting you back. So, it's better if you stay with Ashley than you stay here, otherwise the President might get suspicious and if that happens Kate might end up being in big trouble", David said sighing out of concern.
"Hey but what if she needs me, gets attacked or anything", I said being equally concerned.
"Don't worry John and Claire have agreed to look after her plus Agent Miller will be there and Ms. Wong volunteered to help you out as well, so you won't be alone", he said, possibly in hopes to make me feel better.
"Are you trying to torture me or what?", I almost screamed, "Ada alone is fine but those three together will eat me alive. Angela being my ex and Ada being my current girlfriend would fight over me all day long and Ashley won't be an exception."

"That shows your popularity", John said entering the office, "Here's the report file you wanted David."
"Send Claire or John along with me", I requested, it be better if I have one of them to help me out.
"No Kennedy, we're happy with our most favorite person. Sherry would be joining us too and Steve also seemed interested in his rescuer. We'll party and you go to hell", Claire said walking in holding a file and setting it on David's desk.
"Hell is way better than where I am going", I said feeling a little stressed thinking about the situation.

John and Claire just laughed at my misery as they walked out of the cabin and my eyes followed, shooting annoyed glares at them. They almost bumped into Ada, who was entering in David's cabin. She gave them a suspicious look as they tried to keep their laughs in. They looked at her and then back at me and their pitiful attempt at holding their failed as burst out laughing louder than before. They just hurried out, much like 5-year-olds as Ada ignored them and walked further in the cabin.

"Here is the report you wanted to be finished", Ada said giving a file to David and spared me a look. I smiled weakly and she smiled back, when I heard Claire's and John's laughter increase ten folds from outside the cabin and then I realized the reason as Angela stepped in the room, making me slap my head. Both David and Ada gave me bewildered look but I couldn't explain how awkward the situation for me.

"David I'll be leaving now", I said before Miller tried anything funny and things got worse between Ada and me.
"Okay be at White house tomorrow 8:00 AM as before", he yelled as I exited, ignoring the flirty look on Miller's face.

"Shut up", I said to Claire and John before they could say or ask or even laugh at me for the matter of fact. They stood grinning next to the elevator as I was about to leave work to head home.
"Hey you should be happy that Ada will be saving you from those two idiots", John said knowing that it certainly won't be like that.
"Yeah only so that I could save them from each other", I said pushing the elevator button.
"How unlucky he's John; Ada, Angela and Ashley at work and Kate at home", Claire said sighing sadly.

"Hey Kate is way better than those three of them, yes she talks a lot but since the time I joined work she never did that plus she never even bothers me when I am tired and always speaks, not yells or flirts or purrs", I said as the elevator finally arrived and we stepped inside.
"So sad you'll be seeing her a little less from tomorrow", John said with a fake sigh of sympathy.
"What do you mean?", I asked him to elaborate.
"Well since you've to start working at the White House, no doubt they'll call you before she get ups and will relieve you after she's asleep. Not only that you won't be listening from her for the same reason", Claire said making a point.
"It's not like that I would be back at 4:00 PM, I confirmed it myself with Hunnigan", I told her but still feared the worse.
"Oh then it's okay but let me tell you Hunnigan is bad at keeping her promises until they are paper written and signed by magistrate", John said and walked out as the elevator doors flung open at the parking area.

When I got back home I was totally in a bad mood and so much aggravated of the fact that I wanted to punch someone in face. I removed my jacket and threw it hard on the floor since I was in a very violent mood and then there was soft mew and Kate came rushing from the Kitchen and looked around desperately searching for something. She spotted my jacket on the floor gave me an annoyed look, bent down and recovered her kitten from underneath it, "Leon scared you, didn't he?", she talked lovingly to the kitty hugging it softly, "You almost killed my Cookie", she said annoyed.

Yes Cookie is name of her cat, why? Because simple she's sweet… that's what Kate said when I asked her the same thing. Well it's better than chocolate, candy or sugar I guess, "I didn't see her", I said a bit grouchily as I sat down and switched on the TV.
"That's so bad, you should look around for her, she's still a baby", Kate said and moved in the kitchen.
"Oh yeah, I didn't noticed", I said sarcastically.
"Stop being so mean to her", she yelled from the kitchen.
"It's not her, it's it", I said as she walked back with a milk bottle.
"Huh…", she gasped and gave me a frowned look, which I pretended to ignore. She sat by my side and started feeding the cat with the help of bottle.

"Why are you feeding a cat with a bottle?", I asked feeling a little annoyed.
"Because she's just 1 month old and hasn't started drinking milk by herself from her bowl. I thought what the problem was and then I called and asked the shop owner. He said Cookie is very small to do that and I have to feed her like real baby", she replied smiling at cat.
"I knew it would be a trouble", I commented out loud.
"Don't listen to Leon, he's mean", Kate said closing cat's ears with her hand.

Just then the doorbell rang and I said, "Go see who it is."
"You go I am busy", she said not moving from her spot.
"I am busy too", I argued, even though I really wasn't.
"Then take Cookie and pat her to sleep", Kate said putting the cat on my lap and walked away. I didn't have to do anything as it curled itself in a ball and fell asleep. It made me smile.

"LEON!", Somebody yelled right before Kate was about to open the door and I knew it was her.
'Trouble!', I thought and hurried towards her side before anything worse happened, "Kate!", I called before she opened the door, "It's the President's daughter and our marriage is secret to her and if she knew we're together she would get me off the job", I lied to her.
"So what should we do?", she said a bit concerned.
"You don't say anything until she asks you to okay and here take your Cat", I said giving her the cat and opened the door.

"Leon!", Ashley squealed and hugged me hard the moment I opened the door.
"Nice to see you Ashley", I said backing away and I noticed a frowned look on Kate's face, which was possibly noticed by Ashley as well.
"Who's she?", she asked looking from Kate to me.
"She's… uh…. She's my… uh… housekeeper", I said and Kate frowned at me more.
"Oh okay, tell her to get me something to drink I am thirsty", Ashley said looking at her, "What's she holding?"
"It's my cat", I said.
"You have cat?", Ashley asked excitedly.
"Yes I got it some days before; I found and rescued it and brought her back home and she was feeding the cat, right Kate", I said and she nodded trying to keep her expressions neutral.
"Give me that cat", Ashley snatched the cat from her rudely which woke it up and it started mewing uncontrollably because Ashley was hugging it too hard, "Aww… its so cute can you give it to me, please?"
Kate gave me a worried look shaking her head in negative, "NO and that's enough hugging", I said taking the poor cat from her giving it back to Kate, "Take her upstairs", I said to Kate, "and bring Ms. Graham a glass of juice or something."

Kate hurried up stairs and Ashley made herself comfortable on the couch, "So what brings you here?", I asked, so I could see to it and send her back quickly.
"Nothing much really, I noticed that you weren't around for about three weeks so I decided to visit you", she almost yelled in reply.
"Don't you know I am coming back to work tomorrow?", I asked her.
"Yes but they told me that there will two more female agents", She said making a face, showing a displeasure, "And that you'll leave early as well."
"And thank god for that", I muttered under my breath. I really won't be able to survive, if I spend too much time with the three of the women.
"Did you say something?", she asked me curiously.
"NO, nothing", I replied shaking my head.

"Well where is that maid?", Ashley said looking at the stairs and just then Kate got down, "Hurry up you stupid witch", Ashley said to her, very rudely.
"Ashley! You shouldn't call people names", I scolded her plus Kate wasn't my maid nor was she my housekeeper.
"I am sorry, I was just settling Cookie", she apologized, even though it wasn't her fault.
"Cookie? That's a terrible name, from today onwards its name is Mr. soft fluffy paws", Ashley said proudly.
"Let's just stick to Cookie, please", I couldn't help but say signaling Kate to get going, "You know its short and convenient to say."
"Okay, as you say honey", Ashley said hugging my arm tight and I heard Kate's muffled curses.
"I'll just go and see if your juice is ready or not", I said slipping my arm out of her grip and hurried towards the kitchen, "Why don't you watch TV or something."

"I am so going to poison her", I heard Kate say as she put some oranges in the juicer.
"Believe me I tried to do that myself but it just won't work on her", I joked standing just behind her back.
"And you… I'll cut you open with this knife", she said taking the most dangerous looking knife from the knife stand, "What do you mean by 'She's my housekeeper'", She mocked my tone, "Do I look like a housekeeper?"
"So what should I had said then", I said crossing my arms, "my sister or girlfriend."
"Hey I don't want to be your sister and you can be my boyfriend and not my husband", she almost screamed, "This almost sounds familiar", she muttered and I knew where she had heard it. I said that to her, the time when we were running away from umbrella goons and had decided to disguise ourselves, so as to slip into crowd.

"WHAT?! She's… she's… your wife. This ugly hag is your wife", Ashley yelled from the kitchen door.
"Ashley control yourself", I warned at the same time trying to calm her down.
"You can't have a wife", Ashley screamed and started making gurgling sounds.
"Well just listen...", I tried to explain.
"Noooooo…..", Ashley yelled out louder and grabbed my collar, "You're doing this to make me jealous right", she said wildly shaking me.
"Yes, yes, YES!", Kate yelled at top her lungs, "Mr. Kennedy and I were joking ma'am, here's your juice; I hope its not bad", she held the tray in front of her.

Ashley looked at her and squinted her eyes and nose as if she was looking at something very unpleasant, then finally let go off my collar and took the glass and drank from it, "Its okay; not that bad", she said and took another sip.
'Snotty little brat', I thought shaking my head in disbelief. Kate held the tray in front of me and I took one of the glasses and said, "Why don't you go and tidy up the upper rooms."
"Okay", she said and walked out of the kitchen, and headed up the stairs.

I spent a whole hour, which definitely felt more, listening to Ashley talk since I no other option. I didn't even so much want to give her a hint what kind of relationship I shared with Kate, if Ashley somehow came to know about it, she would spread the rumors that I have a wife. And things would get more troublesome for me, since my official records still said I was single, which I was… but it would lead my department to conduct an enquiry on me and I'd have to give immense amount of explanation. Kate would definitely come to know that I am not her husband and the last time I told her that, she almost died.

"Ashley, can we talk tomorrow please?", I almost pleaded her.
"Why?", she asked sounding a little offended.
"Because you should leave something for tomorrow", I said trying to trick her, "If you don't then I have to listen to Ada and Angela and you don't want that do you?"
"No absolutely not", she said standing up.
'Great it worked', I thought, "So why don't you go home and make a list what we could do together tomorrow", I said holding her hand and dragging her to the door.
"Okay", she said excited as I opened the door.
"Bye then", I said literally throwing her out of the house and slammed the door close at her face, 'It feels good, should do it often', I thought as I made my way up to the bedroom.

"She's gone", I told Kate entering the bedroom.
"Great! She's a pain in neck", she said sounding very unlike her.

My heart beat increased as I realized that it was the tone, which was much more like her older self. I walked close to her and my heart almost skipped a beat when I saw her reading the novel, the very same novel that she was reading when we had coffee together. I sat next to her on bed, facing her but she didn't look up from her novel.

"Kat", I called a bit doubtfully, "Kathleen", I said and she looked at me over her book.
"Yes", she said looking at me confused.
"Where did you get this novel?", I asked feeling hopeful and she turned the book to see the cover
"I got it from your study", she said looking at the cover, "And I was really surprised to see this there. I mean I didn't know you like love stories", she said innocently and then I remembered the day she stormed off angrily she left her novel in my car. I had only noticed it after she went in coma. I kept it and also tried read it but it was too boring for me and at last I put it in my study.

My chain of thoughts was broken when I heard a soft mew and looked sideways and saw that Cookie had just woken up , "Is she alright?", I asked and I sounded concerned for it.
"She was a bit terrified at first but I think she's okay", Kate said moving to take the cat on her lap.
"Great, I thought Ashley killed it… I mean her", I said, I don't know why but I suddenly felt uncomfortable referring a cat as it, so I decided to do what Kate does. I looked at the small fur ball, as she got up stretched its feet and then walked to my lap from Kate's and made herself comfortable and then again went to sleep.
"Aww… she likes mean Leon", Kate said with smile.
"Shut up", I said feeling a little flustered, "Why does she sleeps so much?"
"It's because she's still a baby kitten and she can't do anything yet", Kate said, "She can only eat and sleep and nothing else."

I just watched Kate for a bit as she got back to reading her novel. I felt really grateful for showing so much patience around Ashley; she didn't even say anything when she was called an 'ugly hag' and I know it must have been hard for her, seeing her husband with someone else but she didn't an excellent job. All because she loved me and I just couldn't imagine how she would feel if the truth was revealed to her.

"Uh… Kate", I called out to her.
"Hmm…", she said looking up at me.
"Don't you remember anything about the past? Not even a little bit?", I asked her a bit hesitantly.
She looked at me for bit, "Am I missing anything?", she asked me concerned, "I mean I don't know, I don't really remember what happened, it's all a blur well not even a blur it's completely black. It feels like I can't talk to myself and every day I feel I am missing something. You know like, maybe I did this for you or maybe that. I don't know, I just don't know. All I know is that you're my husband", she said moving close keeping her head on my shoulder wrapping her arms around my torso.
"Why are you sure about me being your husband?", I asked and my throat felt dry. It was biggest lie of all.
"I can't explain it but when I see you I feel happy; every night when you hug me to sleep I feel I am safe; when you leave me and go to work I am worried for you and I feel lonely and when you're with me I'd like to tell everything about me…", she was saying.
"And eat my head", I said jokingly cutting in between.
"Yes and eat your head", she continued smiling, "I don't know what this feeling is, but I love being with you", she pulled away and looked straight into my eyes, making me feel that ambiguous feeling again.
"I love it as well", I told her sincerely, pulling her in hug and I felt her crying on me, "Are you crying?", I asked.
"No", she said sobbing shaking her head on my shoulder but I knew she was trying hard to hold her tears. She pulled away after a while and asked, "What do you want for dinner?"
"Anything you cook is fine", I replied smiling; she was an all rounder she can handle guns and she could handle a kitchen too.

"Leon will you go see who is it for once?", Kate said in anger as somebody rang doorbell like mad, "I was doing the dishes and you won't let me do that peacefully", she complained keeping her hands on her hips and I looked at her, "Go open the door Mr. Leon Scott Kennedy."
'Okay now she's really mad, what if she turns into a BOW and attacks me', I thought jokingly as I got up, "Okay, okay, but don't consider it as a favor", I said walking up to the door teasing her. I opened up the door and saw a badly bandaged man.

"Leon, I came to give you this", he said and handed me the strap of my dog.
"But Shadow was with Henry? Who are you?", I asked.
"I am Henry, your dog…. He's a devil! Look what he has done to me? He… he can't learn anything. He's too stubborn and hostile to learn anything", Henry said, "Take it back."
"But you said he learned many things", I said bending down to release Shadow from its leash.
"Oh yeah he learnt everything from biting to dragging people along with him; everything that he needs to keep up its hostile attitude", Henry said and I was about to say something, "Don't say anything keep it, I already told you I was bringing him and I won't take it back this time, do whatever you want", he bent forward and hissed, "Kill the little devil, I tried but he's smart", and with that he walked away in quite a funny manner as if his legs were chained to unequal heavy weights.
"You don't look hostile to me", I said bending down to Shadow stroking its head, in all actuality Shadow was hostile to everyone even my friends and I was the only living exception.

"Who is it Leon?", Kate asked and Shadow looked in the direction of voice and I was reminded that she and her cat was in big trouble but before I could get Shadow's leash back on he slipped and went inside, "Who is it?", she asked again as she walked back to living room from the kitchen.
"My dog", I said rubbing the back of head.
"What a cute little puppy, come to me", she said kneeling down opening her arms wide.
"No Kate, don't do…", I was saying when Shadow ran to her and I ran after him to stop him or else he would hurt her but incredibly he got close and licked her face and she laughed, "Hey that tickles, so what's your name?", and incredibly he backed away so she could look at his tag, "Shadow, Great! I see you're not as mean as your master let me give you a treat", she said standing up and beckoning it to follow her.
"How did you do that?", I asked as I watched Shadow eating his dinner.
"Do what?", she asked bewildered as to what I was talking about.
"You know, Shadow is really hostile", I said, "He never liked anybody especially my girlfriends! And you're my wife", I added quickly, before I gave away everything.

"Well he likes me, don't you boy?", Kate said to Shadow and it barked in agreement. I felt a bit jealous because he only responded like that to only me before, "Don't be jealous he's only a pup and wanted love and I gave him."
"He's not a pup", I told her. I had Shadow for more than 10 years now, "and are you forgetting you have a cat", I reminded her.
"Well Shadow will try to behave, won't you boy?", she asked again and he barked again.
"What about your cat?", I said, if Shadow barked then he would make an effort if the cat didn't then it would fun.
"Well she's still a kitten and by the time she grows up she'd get use to it; got it", she said moving to me, "Now let's just head up and sleep. I really feel very tired today."
"Okay", I said getting up since I needed sleep because tomorrow would be a disastrous day.
"Don't spoil the furniture, however you can sleep on couch since its cold", Kate said to Shadow patting his head and he again barked in response.

A/N: Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed the story. I apologize for any typos or mistakes in the context that might have caused an inconvenience. Feel free to share your views about the story.