A/N: Thanks for all the support! I hope you enjoy the story with better grammar and fewer errors. Last but not the least I'd like mention Shirahane Aikawa, Mercenary Nemesis and red machine destroyer for their encouragement.

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, actually I hadn't slept, it was getting harder to spend my days without Kate. My heart longed for her even more after knowing that she was my long lost love that I thought to be gone forever. We knew for certain that she was in California; the woman who told me about her also told me that she was headed for California when I asked her later. The records that Claire got from the ticket sales counter confirmed it. And even though everyone was almost sure that she would probably move from here, I was currently in a hotel at California hoping to just to bump into her while walking in the streets.

I got up from the bed and headed for bathroom and splashed some water on my face. I looked at myself in the mirror and for a moment I thought she was behind me but she disappeared when I turned to look at her. I brushed my teeth and got all ready and dressed up even when it was just break of dawn. I am not going give up and I'll find her even it takes my whole life, because it was nothing without her.

(Kathleen's POV)

"Now be a sweetheart and don't mess up the place, alright?", I said to Cookie as I readied myself to go find some work. She meowed in agreement, "Good kitty", I set her down and pulled my overcoat and stepped outside. It was early days of December and it was getting colder outside.

I mentally wished myself good luck and walked a distance where I could get a taxi. I reached the place, it was a bar in need of a female bartender, the pay was not much but it was enough to meet my needs. Why didn't I opt for some respectable job, well because then it would become easy for Leon to find me.

I already had a feeling, no I was sure about that he was here searching for me and if he checked in the places which kept official records then it would be easy for him to find me and I didn't want that. 10 or 11 years ago I would have loved to run into his arms but now I was no longer that girl that he used to love; I was never that girl. I lied all my life to him and he never doubted me. And maybe it was time for me to suffer because of those lies I said to him. He will get over Kathleen as he got over with Juliet… over time, and find someone who'd give him everything he deserves and much more.

After a brief talk and a show of my talents to the Lady Manager of the bar, they gave me the job, "I hope you can work at night because that's when we get most of our customers and with a pretty face like you and we might get a good business."
"Sure I can work at night", I said a bit monotonously.
"Work and serve with a smile honey", the fat lady said, "that's what they want apart from beauty." I faked smile at her, "Now that's more like it."

I worked barely for two days and got a pay raise just because I was getting a good business. The owner asked me exclusively to work at night and even gave me off on Sundays, 'Great that's what I wanted', I thought sarcastically. I was no more than a showpiece to this cheap bar. And in only three days I have seen and served drinks to every type of men. I got dressed in my work clothes, revealing and provocative work clothes, I should say. I put my regular clothes back when one of the girls that worked as waitress came in running and crying followed by the rest.

"What happened?", I asked her out of civility.
"One of the guys misbehaved with her", one of her friends replied.
"Tell me something new", the other said, "It's your job, the more the guys like you, the more money you get. Make them happy to keep your boss happy."
"What are you girls doing here?", the boss came shouting, "I haven't hired you for this, just go and serve the customers", she yelled at us and we walked back to our work.

"Your order?", I asked to one of the men who just arrived. He was a regular customer I guess.
"Vodka with a hint of lime", he said and gave his order.
"Anything else?", I asked because it was my job.
"How about you", he said flirting grabbing my hand.
"Leave my hand sir", I tried to say as politely as I could, keeping my anger level down.
"No sweetheart, I've been watching you from day one and you're the only one that can…", he was saying.
"Look, just leave my hand", I said to him, anger bubbling inside me now.
"At least give me a kiss and I'll tip an extra 100 bucks", he said laying out a 100 dollar bill on the bar. I looked angrily from him to the dollar bill and then, he was met with a punch, which made him literally fly to a distance but it wasn't me; it was…

"Leon", the word just escaped my lips.
"Hey sweetheart", he turned to me smiling and he was really happy, as if he won a lottery.
"How did you find me?", I asked him shocked.
"Coincidence… I just wanted a drink and guess who I found in the bar", he said getting extremely close, "You", he quickly pecked one of my cheeks and I slapped him, "Angry that I didn't kissed you on lips?"
"What do you want?", I asked him.
"You know what I want", he said taking a seat.

"I am busy and I don't have time for games", I said to him as I asked others for their orders and tried to ignore him, as I filled other people's order. Finally I was left alone with him for some time, "Look you have to leave, you just can't sit around doing nothing", I tried to get rid of him.
"Okay, a shot of tequila would do", he said shrugging and when I gave him that he said, "I like to change it, how about a jug full of beer", and I got that for him but he kept changing his orders and got me frustrated.
"I'll tell the bouncers to throw you out if you changed the order now", I said to him angrily.
"Okay", he shrugged again and I couldn't help but smile, "Yeah that's what I wanted", he said smiling himself.

I tried not to smile after that and again tried to ignore him but he kept asking me drinks after drinks and kept watching me doing my work, "Repeat the order", he said to me after consuming god knows how much alcohol.
"It's already 2:00 AM the bar is closed now", I told him, "And you have to go."
"Meet you tomorrow", he said and I shook my head in disbelief, as I watched him leave the place.

I got back to the changing rooms and changed to my regular clothes and walked over to the manager and told her I was quitting, "You can't quit, you're my star."
"I am quitting, whether you like it or not", I told her walking out.
"Don't let her leave", she said to her bodyguards and it didn't take much of my efforts to knock them out.

"If you tried that again, believe me I'll kill you. Smiling and looking beautiful are not the only things I am good at", I said to her threateningly and walked out of that bar and said goodbye to it forever. If Leon had found me here I might as well find myself a new job. And as for now I have only one thing to do, go back home and sleep.

I yawned as I walked through the deserted streets, maybe other women might never want to come here but I could take care of myself very well. Plus it was sort of a shortcut to the place where I could get myself a taxi. Then all of a sudden I had a feeling that someone was following me. I turned back but there was nobody. I started walking again and had the same feeling all over again, but when I turned I again found the alley deserted.

I made my way through the alley having a constant feeling of being watched and followed, but I ignored it thinking that I was tired and paranoid since I met Leon. When I got on the main street I got myself a taxi and headed home but that feeling of someone following me didn't leave for once not until I went to sleep.

No matter how hard I tried to sleep last night, I couldn't sleep since Leon kept popping up in my head and I kept thinking about the things that would have happened if he hadn't come. I couldn't help but wonder for hours, how it would be spending the rest of my life with him. I felt both happy and sad considering all the possibilities based on the time I spent with him as Juliet and Kate. I kicked these thoughts with the blanket at the break of dawn and spent a lot of time getting ready and decided to find myself a job from the next day.

I walked down to the kitchen talking with my cat, "You like milk don't you, sweetie", I said to it and it meowed. The doorbell rang and I opened the door thinking it to be morning paper but it was, "Leon!"

"Good Morning", he said smiling handsomely at me.

(Leon's POV)

Kate slammed the door at my face, "That's not a nice thing to do", I yelled to her.
"Go home!", she yelled to me but I barely heard it.
"Okay, but I am taking your cat with me", I said to her picking up her cat, who was at my feet. She didn't reply. I turned back and started walking back to my car. And just then I heard the door open and Kate came rushing out.

"Give me my cat back", she said grabbing hold of my jacket and turning me to face her.
"Why I bought it and you didn't pay for it", I said keeping the cat out of her reach.
"You have loads of money", she said trying to reach to the cat.
"Would have had more if I hadn't spent it on this cat", I repeated her words.
"Just give me back my cat", she said and tears streamed down her face, "I beg you."

"Hey I was just kidding, here have your cat", I said giving the cat to her. She took her cat and wiped her tears on the back of her hand, "I never thought you were this soft"; even though I knew she was this soft and that's the whole reason why I played this act, "So can I join you for breakfast? I really hate the hotel food."
"Yes", she replied walking back inside the house and I followed.
"Can I bring Shadow too?", I asked and she nodded, "Don't lock the door now that you have your cat in and me out of the house."
"I won't", she just said gaining back her composure and I walked to my car to get Shadow.

The moment I opened the car door for him he ran to the house door and impatiently waited for me to open the door and when I did that he made a run for Kate, who was in the kitchen getting things ready for the breakfast. She looked at him and patted his head once smiling, and then stood up resuming her work. I walked to her and presented her with a bunch of fresh Red Orchids that I got for her.

"For you", I said, "take it, I haven't bugged it", she took the flowers and put them in a vase and set them on the coffee table. She totally ignored me and busied herself with preparing the breakfast. I just adored her as I stood at the door of the small kitchen of her house.

It seemed Kathleen was fresh out of bath, her hair was down and she was wearing a short mid-thigh length dress. It had short sleeves and a deep neck. She looked extremely gorgeous, cute and a bit sexy. I was too lost in her beauty that I didn't notice, when she was done making breakfast and was setting plates and cups on a tray.

We moved to a small living room with only a loveseat and we sat on it. Kate set the tray down and moved the vase which was holding the flowers a bit and then served me with the breakfast and poured the coffee in cups. It reminded me of the days I spent pretending to be her husband, "Stop staring at me", she said giving me a cup of coffee.

"I am not staring", I said taking the coffee, "I was just looking", I took a sip, "Coffee is great… and you look beautiful."
"Thanks", she said softly with a sigh, "How did you find this place?"
"Easy… I followed you", I told her the truth, "And I must say it was hard since you kept looking back."
"So you're a stalker now?", she said trying to regain her cold attitude.
"Well yes, I did stalk you to your home", I said thinking a bit.

We didn't talk after that and had our breakfast in complete silence; the only sound was the sounds of cutlery and coffee cups. My heart was at peace being together with Kathleen and I really hoped that she agrees to come back with me. But I knew that I had to take it a little slow and wait for her to lower her defensive walls. I didn't want to rush it but it was a fact that she'd move, once I was out of this house. So whatever I had to do, it had to be done today only. I watched her as she carried the dirty cups and plates back to kitchen and I thought it was the best moment to talk to her but the only trouble was that I didn't know how to begin without getting her upset.

(Kathleen's POV)

I knew he wanted me to stay with him but I can't, I won't let him become my weakness, a soft spot for enemies to strike, and I won't let him make me his weakness. And even if it hurts both of us I had to ask him to forget me and I am sure he can forget me. But why it was taking me more than usual to tell him to leave me alone? Maybe because somewhere in depths of my heart I knew I wanted to be with him. I tried hard not to cry and just then I felt him close as he tried to put the necklace around my neck.

"What is it?", I asked him even though I knew what it was.
"Something you dropped in my office", he whispered in my ear.
"It's not mine", I said reaching to pull the necklace off myself but he grabbed my hands and hugged me from behind.
"I love you", he said romantically and my heart skipped a beat.
I pushed him back and moved away from him, "I already told you that I don't…", I said keeping my back towards him.
"I know that you're Juliet", Leon told me and I was taken aback hearing that name from him.

(Leon's POV)

Kathleen turned to look back at me, "So? What difference does it make?", she asked me in her cold icy tone and a smiled that complimented that demeanor, "I should say took you long enough."
"I knew you'd say something like that", I said to her with slight smile but she didn't say anything but just kept looking at me, "But it doesn't changes the fact that I love you. I always have, Juliet!"
"Oh is this what its all about, you suddenly remembered the past and your feeling surfaced?", she said mockingly and faked an amused laugh.
"I never forgot you", I told her the truth.
"You did", she said in hurtful tone, "The moment you met Ada, you did forget about me", it seemed Juliet was saying this to me.

"Juliet…", I moved to take her in my arms but she moved away from me.
"I am not the girl you loved, Leon", she said it seriously, "Juliet was a lie… and that love like I said before was teenage stupidity."
"And you still carry the memento of that teenage stupidity", I said referring to her necklace.
"You don't understand, everything I said to you was a lie. I said them because I wanted you to like me because I never had a friend due to that crazy stepdad. I always lied to you", she said and tears streamed down her face.

(Kathleen's POV)

The tears clouded my vision and I looked away from Leon, not wanting him to see me like this and then I felt him getting rid of my tears, "Lying, like now?", he spoke kindly making me look up at him, "I am sorry for disappointing you but Juliet, I accept you as Kathleen", even more tears streamed down my face, "I just grew to love you even more actually", he added in matter-of-fact tone.
"You don't understand…", I began shaking my head crying.
"I do", he told me with a nod, "But stop trying to protect me! It's not doing us any good", he looked straight in my eyes, "Let me protect you too. I don't want you running away and be my weakness as Juliet but I want you to stay with me and be my strength as Kathleen."

I looked up at Leon, his sincere words were making it hard for me to lie and I was failing miserably to distance myself from him. No matter how many walls I build to keep my distance away from him; I always acted formally, pretended to not know him, never let him see the glimpse of the person he love but still he could through those walls and bring them down, somehow. But I knew the consequences if I were to be with him and I wasn't ready for them, so with all my strength I steeled myself to push him away but he moved closer wrapped his protective arms around me.

(Leon's POV)

Kate didn't return the hug but I knew it didn't mean she wanted me to let go, it was possibly the opposite. She was so broken that she wanted someone told her together tightly and I was just complying with her wishes that she was unaware of herself. I felt her defense breaking as she wrapped her shaking arms around my upper torso hugging me back. I realized she was crying silently as I felt my shirt getting wet and I let her cry just this once, trying to be as comforting as I could be.

Kate pulled away from the hug and looked up at me, "We are doing a big mistake!", she sobbed.
"We survived BOWs, we can definitely survive a relationship", I joked tilting my head to one side and she smiled slightly, "So what should I call you Kathleen or Juliet?"
"Whatever you're comfortable with", she said softly.
"Juliet is your true name right?", I asked thinking she must have used Kathleen to hide her identity.
"Kathleen Juliet Richardson is my full name. I guess I never told you", she said apologetically looking away; "Mom liked my middle name more."
"I like Kate more", I said turning her to look at me, "somehow she's the best of Kathleen and Juliet put together", I wrapped an arm around her waist.
"They are the same person", she said slightly smiling at me.
"And I am glad they are!", I spoke sincerely, looking down at her.

Kate thanked me once again and I just responded with a smile. I could understand her fears and insecurity and it would be total a lie if I'd say that I didn't share some of her fears but I couldn't let go of Kate, just because of that. Being together and fighting this menace was not really my idea of dating her, but at least she won't complain like the other women, I had in past. She'd probably mock me for not even getting the elementary thing. I let out an amused laugh and she jerked her head a little asking me about it but I only shook my head telling her it was nothing.

Kate looked at me a little hesitant about something. I let her take her time, and smiled at her warmly. She raised her shaking hands to me and cupped my face, her touch was as warm and soothing as I remembered it. I leaned in her hand, mentally telling her I missed it and reaching up to grab one of her hands. We looked in each other in eyes, as she took a step closer and raised herself on her toes to kiss me tenderly. We both closed our eyes to the kiss and I pulled her even closer to me, after all it was more than a decade, since I had kissed her but still it all felt new, like my very first kiss with her. I guess this is what people call falling in love all over again and I was more than glad that it was the same person both the time.

Things had really changed a lot, I was no longer a rookie cop and she was no longer timid woman, I used to love but still these changes made us the survivors. There were many deadly secrets waiting for us to uncover them but it was all for when we get back, for now we'd just take time to catch up with each other.

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.