A/N: When I originally uploaded this story Chapter 23 was a super long chapter but, when I was re-uploading I thought it would be better to split the chapters for convenient read. Thanks for all the support and special thanks to the reviewer Shirahane Aikawa for her reviewing the last chapter.

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

Chapter 23

(Leon's POV)

"Hey how are you feeling", I asked offering a bouquet of red roses.
"I am fine now", Ada replied taking the bouquet from me, "Sometimes I feel searing pain in chest region but Rebecca said that it just the virus coming out, that's all", she told me smiling, "thank you for everything."
"You don't need to thank me…", I was saying.
"I know… I know… it was Kathleen who saved me", she repeated like a parrot, "But I always think that you must have done something to save me."
"Well in actuality he didn't do anything and correctly speaking Kathleen beat the hell of out of you", Claire said crossing her arms, its been a little over two weeks and they still don't get along.
"Is that so, than why did she run away? I'll tell you why because she was afraid that I'd beat crap out of her", Ada said proudly in her usual tone. And yes Kate again disappeared; the day she was able to walk was the day she walked away from us. Where? We don't know and she didn't bother tell us, like always.
"Yeah in your current condition you can't even beat me", Claire said.

"Oh I didn't know you guys were here", we all turned our head in the direction of voice and saw Rebecca walking in the room.
"They visit me everyday", Ada told her happily, "Well Leon does."
"Oh…", Rebecca said in realization looking at me and then shook her head as trying to get to the main business she was here, "Well I had to take Ada for some tests but well it can wait."
"Thank you!", Ada said gratefully, possibly happy that she get to spend more time with us.
"Now, I'll take your leave", Rebecca said smiling, "I've other patients as well", and gave her an understanding nod.
"Becky, wait!", Claire called to her as she started to walk out, "I have something I need your help with", she said to her and then turned to us, "Excuse me."

Claire hurried to Rebecca and they both casually walked out talking about something trivial. It didn't take a genius to figure out that she wanted to give Ada and me, some alone time. I looked back at Ada and she was expecting something. I really didn't know what to say to her and we just kept looking at each other.

"I think I should leave", I couldn't help but say making a move to stand up.
"You just came", Ada said to me.
"I just wanted to see, how you were doing and now I know, so…", I tried to put my feelings in word.
"Is it too late?", Ada asked me.
I smiled, "You and me both know it is", I replied.
"I hope you can forgive me….", she took a pause, "for the things I did unknowingly and… knowingly."
"I already have", I told her sincerely, "It's important to put the past behind and work for a better future in some cases."
"Yeah", Ada agreed nodding and again we were engulfed in silence.
"I have to go now", I said finally rising from my seat and she did stop me this time, "Take care! See you some other time", I added and she just nodded in response.

I exited the room and found Claire and Rebecca outside the room. It seemed they probably listened in to our conversation. I couldn't help but give them a look of disbelief, "I didn't want to but she made me", Rebecca said in her defense.
"Well instead of putting us in an awkward situation and then spying on us, you both should have been with us in the room", I said walking past them, I didn't really care if they eavesdropped on the conversation.
"Well I just thought you two might be uncomfortable in my presence and it felt to be like a third wheel to be with you", Claire said catching up to me, "but you insisted for me to come with you."

"It was awkward the first time I met her, so I asked you to come with me", I told her the truth.
"You really care for her to visit her daily", Claire said to me.
"I do, she's is a part of me I can't let go", I repeated the same words, I had said to Ashley some years ago, to Claire.
"And you told her it's too late", Rebecca finally spoke.
"Yeah I did", I said affirming it, "I care for her, I really do. She helped me out in some very tight situations but I don't think I love her truly. I guess I was just attracted."

Both the women hummed thoughtfully and we walked in silence for a bit and then finally Rebecca spoke, "Well I have to take Ada for tests now, so see you guys later!"
"Yeah", we both chorused and said our goodbyes to her.

Both Claire and I walked to the parking talking about trivial stuff. We both got in the car and I headed for Claire's place to drop her off, "So how's Shadow doing at work", Claire asked midway between the drive
"As always totally hostile, yesterday he dragged his handler to me during lunch time", I told her remembering and she laughed.
"Oh Chris finally got that DJ booth he saw last Saturday and he's hosting a party in its honor", Claire told me.
"Did I hear right he's hosting a party in honor of a DJ booth", I asked her in confirmation.
"Yep", she said nodding stifling a laugh, "He asked me to invite you as well. Are you free day after tomorrow, it's Saturday."
"Yeah I have off I can manage it", I agreed to show up for the party.
"Don't forget Ka…te", she said it with the flow. We both shared a moment of silence remembering our good memories with Kate, "So did you find anything about her?", Claire asked breaking the silence.
"No", I kept my reply short as we stopped at the signal.

We both sat there watching the pedestrians cross the road at the walk signal not talking to each other. I was almost blankly staring at the crowd when I noticed someone familiar in it. I didn't think twice before getting out of the car as Claire called out my name. I ran to the crowd and looked from one face to another but I couldn't find her. The crowd thinned but I had already lost her or probably started seeing things.

"Did you see her again?", Claire asked parking my car next to me and I couldn't reply to her and just rounded off to the driver's seat and Claire shifted back to the side seat and I drove her home in silence. She reminded me about the party and I gave her nod that I'll be attending it, since it might be a good change of pace for me.

After that I straight away headed for my home. I unlocked the door, got in hoping she would welcome me with a warm smile, like always, and maybe a hug, but she didn't came. I dragged my feet to the living room wondering that now that she was gone, why exactly I wanted to be with her. I flopped on the couch and fumbled in my pocket for the letter she left us, I unfolded it and sighed deeply as I read it once again.

Guys,

Now that I can walk and take care of myself I should go. I don't belong with you. I am grateful that I met you and that you loved and kept me as a family. I am going like this maybe because I know you won't let me go otherwise and I am too weak to fight even Sherry. You must be angry but it's the best I can do…

I am taking Cookie with me.

Kathleen

My home phone rang and the answering machine played it's message. Since two weeks it's been on answering machine mode because that's the only way I get to hear Kathleen's voice, "Leon", I lunged for phone as I recognized the voice as Kathleen's.

"Hey", I said happily listening.
"I see you haven't changed the answering machine message", she said.
"It's the only way I hear your voice", I told her the truth.
"Anyways can we meet?", she asked cutting straight to the point.
"Yeah sure, tell me where and I'll be there as fast as I could", I told her picking up my car keys.
"Umm… not now", she said, "Maybe tomorrow at 4:00 PM. Are you free?", she asked.
"Yeah, yeah", I said happy that I'd finally be meeting her, "Where?"
"How about the café near the city mall the one where you took me to buy clothes", she suggested.
"Great I'll be there at 3:00 PM", I said in excitement and she laughed.
"Be there at 4:00 PM that's enough", she said and I waited for her to disconnect.

The moment she did that I called Hunnigan and asked her to trace the number from which the last call to my home phone was made and to my disappointment it was a payphone. But it didn't get my spirits down since I would be meeting her tomorrow anyways and I will convince her to stay with us.

I was really in bad mood when I reached home. I was really happy when Kathleen called me yesterday and everything was fine until I reached White House and all was fixed for me to leave at 3:00 but then Ashley wanted me to take her to her piano lessons promising me that I would be free at 4:00 PM, thinking that café wasn't that far away I agreed. But it took her more than that and I was only freed at 7:00 and it took me another hour to reach café but Kate wouldn't be waiting for me for 4 hours would she, so maybe I missed once in a lifetime chance to meet her, so how can I be happy.

I opened the door and walked to the couch and couldn't help and kick it out of frustration and couldn't help but feel a bit miserable. I walked up to my room and headed for the shower. I showered with cold water thinking it would cool me off. After I was done, I heard the doorbell it was about 8:30pm, seemed like the person was ringing it for some time. I decided to open the door before the one on the door leaves. So I walked down wearing nothing but track pants, my towel over my shoulders.

I hurried down the stairs and opened the door to see who it was and it was the last person I was expecting to see and only person I was so dying to meet, "Hey", she smiled seeing me and I knew I wasn't dreaming.
"Hi", I smiled at her as I checked her out from head to toe. She was again wearing a very girly sort of outfit, Denim jeans and her favorite white colored top and a matching jacket. Her hair was held by a hair clip but some of it hung on her beautiful face.
"So can I come in", she asked a bit doubtfully.
"Yeah, yeah sure", I said opening the door more to let her in the house. She got in and set her cat on the floor which jumped up her favorite place and slept, "I am sorry I wasn't able to meet you this evening, something came up", I tried to express my regret.
"I figured", she said looking back me, "Anyways where's Shadow?", it seemed that she came here to see him and not me.
"His empty mind is Devil's playground, so I got him a job", I told her.
"He's nothing like that", she almost snapped as if I was talking about her dog, "I mean he only wants someone to love and take care of him and he does whatever you want", she said looking around a bit lost.

I just smiled and said, "So you wanted to talk about something?"
"Oh yes…", she fumbled in her handbag, "Actually I wanted to give you something."
"Me?", I questioned if I heard her wrong.
"Well its nothing special", she said withdrawing a rectangular packet and giving it to me.
I unwrapped it as she moved to take her cat, "Its money?!", I said as I revealed a bundled of 100$ bills.
"Everything that you spent on me, a bit extra consider it as rent for staying here", she said stroking her cat.
"I don't need it", I said wrapping them back again, "I have loads of money", I told her holding the packet in front of her,
"Would have had more if I hadn't been around so just keep it", she said pushing back the money and before I could argue more she asked, "Can I use the phone?"

"Yes", I replied, "Who are you calling?", I asked her as she put her cat on the small table on which the phone was on.
"I am getting myself a ride", she replied picking up the receiver.
"You are leaving already?", I asked her as she dialed the number.
"Yes", she replied.
"But you just got here", I said moving to her.
"My work here is done", she said and then told me to stay quiet until she told the address and stuff.
"It doesn't mean you have to leave", I said as she kept receiver back.
"A few more hours and I won't get a taxi", she said.
"I can always drop you home if it gets late", I stated the fact.
"From the looks of you, you're ready to sleep", she said rolling her eyes a bit.

"Care to join me", the thing just slipped from my lips.
"Are you trying to flirt?", she asked raising one of her eyebrows at me.
"I already told you I just love the way you do that", I flirted with her more and I got a reaction which I wasn't expecting from her as she smiled. Just then there was car honk and we both looked through the window.
"Looks like my ride is here", she said picking up her cat and it sure got here quickly.

"Hey", I tried to stop her and she looked at me, "Uh… there's a party at Redfield's place tomorrow; everybody would be really happy if you could…"
"I am leaving DC tomorrow", she cut me in between, "And before you try to stop me or anything, I just want tell you that I won't stop no matter what, so just don't try. I would really appreciate if you don't tell anybody about me leaving otherwise they would stop me and I don't like to hurt too many people, especially the people I know", she was about to walk away when she stopped and said the most painful thing, "I know you want to know if I have developed any feelings for you, and that was one of the reasons I wanted to meet you personally, so that I could tell you that it's nothing like that. I also wanted to apologize to you, if any of my actions made you develop any sort of feelings towards me. You do know it was an act", she spoke in a kind tone, looking at me straight in the eye and I gave her an understanding nod, "Goodnight", with these last words she left.

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.