A/N: I would like to say a quick thanks to all the readers and reviewers, hodhod2011danger and Shirahane Aikawa for their support.
Chapter 3
(Leon's POV)
I used my keys to get in the house, the time I usually come back Kate's always asleep. I patted Shadow, who had come to greet me. I dragged my feet to the kitchen and Shadow followed me there. I was super tired, but more than that I was hungry. I took out the dinner that Kate had prepared and sat on the kitchen counter to eat it. Kate had good culinary skills as far as I know, "I should give her a raise", I muttered to myself enjoying my meal. I walked to my room once I was done, took a shower and settled on the bed and Shadow jumped next to me on the bed, making himself comfortable. I drifted off to sleep before I could even realize it.
I woke up with a start and instinctively reached for my gun. I looked at Shadow, he was all alert too. I strained my ears to pick up any noise, and sure enough I heard someone downstairs. I pulled on a T-shirt over my bare torso, because I usually slept bare chest. My grip tightened on my gun as I moved and grabbed my cell phone off the table. But before I could dial any number, the door to my bedroom flung open by itself, as the person on the other side kicked it open and shot at me. I rolled over to the other side of the bed to take cover.
"Stay put they have guns", I said to Shadow, who was ready to lunge at the shooter.
I was in middle of thinking some strategy when I heard a familiar voice, "What's going on here?", it was Kate and then I heard her scream, "Let go of me!"
"Shit!", I couldn't help but curse, I had totally forgotten about her being here as well. I peeked from the side of the bed and saw the perpetrator holding her at his gun point. He shot at me and I pulled my head back just in time to save myself.
"Get out or she gets it", he demanded of me and I cursed helplessly.
(Kate's POV)
I didn't really know what was going on; it all seemed like a bad dream. One moment I was sleeping, another I was woken up by a loud bang and then I was being held captive by a gunman. My heart was pounding in my chest and it would be a total lie if I said that I wasn't scared. I felt the hot barrel of gun against my forehead as once again the gunman tried to persuade Leon out of his hiding position. I stared at the spot hoping him to get me out of this situation.
"Okay", Leon said standing up and showing himself, "Just don't hurt her", he added looking at me and even though it was dark I could see the concern in his eyes.
"Throw your gun away", the man said pointing his gun at Leon.
Leon looked at his gun and threw it, right in the gunman's face. The man let out a scream as it hit him in the face and before I could understand anything more, I was pulled away from the clutches of the man. My body collided with Leon's, as he punched the man in face, knocking him out. My heart calmed down a little, as he turned his head to look at me and I felt safe.
"Are you okay?", Leon asked me and I nodded in response.
"What's going on here?", I asked him in need for some explanation, after all it wasn't something one gets to see every day.
"He was here to kill me possibly", he answered, cautiously moving to his room door and checking the hallway.
"We should…", I began, moving to his side and he pushed me against the wall, as I heard two gunshots.
"Stay behind me at all the times", he said to me in an urgent tone, as I heard something, well more of, someone fall down the stairs.
"Yes", I gave him another nod and he let me go and hurried out the room.
(Leon's POV)
I hurriedly moved to the stairs and checked the lower floor from the upper landing. The man I just shot in leg was writhing in pain at the foot of stairs. I signaled Kate to follow and descended the steps, and kicked the gun away from the intruder. I looked around in the darkness, my senses super sensitive to pickup any sort of movement in the dark. Once I was sure that there was no imminent danger I bent down to the guy lying at my feet and put a gun on his head, "How many of you are here?", I asked him but he didn't say anything, "Answer me or I'll shoot you dead!"
"Four", he croaked up and I knocked him unconscious as well.
"Cowards", I couldn't help but say.
"Leon!", Kate yelled, as I heard a shot; luckily Shadow had leapt before the enemy fired his gun, and the shot went stray and didn't hit any of us. I moved fast and knocked him out too.
"I told you stay put", I said to Shadow and he barked in objection, "Thanks, buddy!", I patted him smiling, "One more", I looked in the Kitchen's direction. I looked back at Kate; she seemed worried, scared and confused at the same time. Just as I was about to step in the kitchen I heard a shot and knew the bullet missed me by mere inches. I shot blindly at him taking cover behind the wall pulling Kate next to me. The enemy repeatedly shot in our direction not wanting to give me any opening but I was too fast for him as I took my aim and shot the gun off his hand, and swiftly moved to knock him unconscious as well.
I sighed in relief, turned on the kitchen lights and looked at the man lying unconscious on the floor, "I am going to call 911", Kate said, her voice cracking.
"Somebody probably would have already called them by now", I said looking at her. She seemed scared, but I didn't understand why she was scared now that the intruders were down. And then realization hit me, she was probably scared of me, "I am not going to hurt you. I am not the bad guy here."
"Well you shot two men", she said nervously, looking at the man lying on the kitchen floor.
"If I hadn't shot them, then both of us would probably be dead right now", I told her the truth and grabbed my shoulder, since it had been burning in pain for some time now, "Shit!", I cursed as I felt blood wetting my shirt. I looked down at my shoulder; the blood had already stained my shirt noticeably.
"I thought you weren't hit", Kate said panicking a little, eyeing my shoulder in complete horror.
"It's an old wound and I just severed the stitches", I told her, pulling off my shirt and examining my wound.
The bandages were soaked in my blood, and it wasn't really a pretty sight. Kate put a hand on her mouth letting out an anxious gasp. She rushed out of the room, possibly she couldn't bear the sight of blood like this and it was nauseating to her. I took out my phone and called Rebecca at once.
"Hello?", Rebecca answered groggily from the other end.
"Sorry to call you at this hour but I severed my stitches", I told her, speaking in an urgent tone.
"What?!", she almost shouted on the phone, probably wide awake now, "How? What were you doing?"
"I'd explain it to you, but can you get here to patch me up. I don't think I can drive to hospital and my caretaker is pretty much freaked out", I told her, trying to bear the pain.
"Okay I'll be there as fast as I can, just keep the pressure on the wound", she said and disconnected.
I put the phone aside, and settled on one of the counter chairs, and used my shirt to keep the pressure on the wound. I closed my eyes because of the pain and then I heard a loud thud. I opened my eyes to Kate slamming a first aid kit on the counter. She propped it open and it didn't seem like the usual household first aid kit. It was bigger and had things I didn't even know the name of, but had only seen in a hospital.
"Let me see it", Kate said urgently holding a pair of scissors. I let her have a look, she cut down the old bandages and stitches, and dabbed the oozing blood, "this is going to hurt, I don't have anesthetic." She re-did the stitches, put on antiseptic and wrapped the bandage on the wound.
"How do you…", I asked her once she was done.
"I served as a paramedic once", she replied without looking at me, starting to clean the mess, "I didn't think I'd be using this again", she looked at her kit.
"Well I am glad you did", I said to her, if she hadn't then I might have lost a lot of blood by the time Rebecca gets here.
"Well you could put that up in the job description next time you put up an ad for caretaker", she said in almost a scolding tone and faked a smile.
"Are you leaving?", I couldn't help but ask. And before she could answer we heard the blaring of sirens, as police surrounded my home, "Shadow, get my wallet quick!", I ordered him and with a bark he disappeared.
I heard my front door being kicked open and at the same time the kitchen's back door was kicked open too, "Don't move or we'll shoot", one of the officers said and at the same time Shadow came back with my ID, followed by more policemen who might have entered the house from the front door.
"Look I can explain, I work for the secret services", I showed them my ID.
The team leader of police force looked from me to my ID and took my ID, while his other mates kept me and Kate at their gunpoint. The officer examined my ID for its legitimacy and then only they pulled us off their gun point. They didn't take too long to call my superiors and Hunnigan was sent to settle the issue, with me explaining the incident to the Police in minute details. A little while later, Rebecca also showed up and I had to go over the story again.
"I told you not to use gun if possible", Rebecca said in a scolding tone, examining if Kate had properly bandaged my shoulder, while Hunnigan talked to the Police.
"I wouldn't have used it, if they weren't firing at me", I told her in an obvious tone.
"Well your caretaker sure knows how to patch things up", Rebecca said in a satisfied tone sighing in relief, "Did it like a professional but now we should go", she added referring to herself and her husband.
"Sorry about the bother", I couldn't help but say.
"Don't worry about it", Rebecca dismissed it casually and then she left with her husband.
"I explained everything to them but this gives me a lot of paper work", Hunnigan said moving to me and rubbing her head.
"Well sorry about that", I apologized for the inconvenience.
"Well it's my job", she replied with a sigh, "I don't get it, how they reached here and why they wanted to kill you?"
"I left them alive, you can question them all you want", I said, feeling glad that I didn't have to take anyone's life.
"Yeah good job", Hunnigan said looking at the handcuffed culprits, "What about her, did you do a background check on her before employing her?", she asked nodding her head towards my housekeeper.
"No", I told her looking at Kate too, who was busy answering police and giving her statement. Although I had thought to do that in the beginning but later it just slipped my mind.
"Well you should have", Hunnigan said in a reprimanding tone and then let out a sigh to calm herself down, "Anyways keep an eye on her while I get info about her."
"Thanks for your cooperation. We'd like to take your leave now, we might call you up if need be so", one of the policemen said interrupting our conversation.
"Thanks for your cooperation as well", Hunnigan said and we both shook hands with the policeman, "I should be going too. See you at work tomorrow", she added turning to me.
I gave her a nod and Hunnigan walked ahead, as I saw her to the door. She slightly smiled at Kate, wishing her good night and Kate returned that gesture. Kate closed the main door once Hunnigan stepped out and let out a sigh as well. She turned and we faced each other, for the first time after all this ordeal.
"I am sorry about what happened", I couldn't help but apologize.
"It was not your fault", Kate replied in a considerate tone.
"I freaked you out, right?", I couldn't help but ask.
"A lot", she answered truthfully, "It was my first time in a firefight."
"You took it better than many professionals", I stated the fact, letting out a laugh.
She laughed as well, "I know", she smiled, "but now you should get some sleep, I heard you have to go to work in the morning."
"Yeah", I said and we both headed upstairs and towards our own room, "hey", I said as she was at her door and I was at mine. She looked at me, "Thanks!"
"Anytime", she said dismissively and smiled adding, "Goodnight!"
"Goodnight!", I wished her back and then went inside my room to catch some sleep.
(Leon's POV)
When I woke up this morning, I didn't have time for my morning jog. I went straight into bathroom brushed my teeth, shaved and had a quick shower. I pulled on my pants and grabbed my shirt. I put one hand in it, when I remembered Becky had asked me to change the dressing every day, and I couldn't help but curse, since I didn't have time to go to a hospital and it was impossible for me to do the dressing of my shoulder wound on my own. I was thinking that it would have been convenient if a nurse could just visit and change the bandages, when I remembered that Kate could do my dressing.
"Shadow, where's Kate?", I asked him, who was resting by the foot of my bed. He led me to her room and I knocked on it.
She opened the door a crack and I could see that she was fresh out of bath, since her hair was wet, "I am sorry I am late but I overslept", she apologized seeing me.
"It's fine!", I said dismissively and she relaxed, "Actually, I was wondering if you could change my dressing?", I asked her, "I don't have time to go to hospital."
Her gaze shifted to my wounded shoulder and she said, "Yeah sure, come in", she opened the door wide and let me in her room, "I am sorry for the mess", she said folding her blanket, apart from which her room was perfect.
"My room is a bigger mess than this but you already know that because you tidy it up everyday", I commented as she moved to her closet, letting out a brief laugh.
"Why don't you sit on the bed", Kate said grabbing her medical kit. I did what I was told, and she cut the old bandages and re-did the dressing of my wound. As she did that I couldn't help but notice that she was really close to me, so close that I was taking in her scent with my every breath. Her wet hair dangled on my good shoulder as she wrapped bandage on the wounded one, "all done", she said moving away, "I am sorry about wetting your other shoulder", she said grabbing her towel and dabbing the water off it, "Why didn't you say something?"
"I didn't notice", I told her and she didn't really seem convinced by my answer. It was a lame excuse, but still she didn't say anything, "Thanks!", I thanked her standing up.
I moved to my room to pull on my shirt. I carefully put the arm, which was attached to the wounded shoulder, and reached to get the other one in as well, trying to make it as less painful as possible, "Want me to help?", I looked back and Kate was standing at my room's door. I didn't reply, and maybe she took it as a yes because she walked in my bedroom and helped me with the shirt.
"Thanks again", I said buttoning up my shirt.
"I'll go make breakfast then", with that she left me. I put on my thigh holster, pocketed my things and grabbed my jacket and descended downstairs.
As I neared the kitchen I heard John's voice, "Man, I could give anything to marry a girl like you", he said as I entered the kitchen. I looked at Kathleen, who rolled her eyes, "Morning Leon!", John wished me.
"Morning John", I said taking a seat next to him.
"I was just asking your caretaker to marry me", he told me, "Her handmade food is heavenly."
"Yeah I heard", I said as Kate kept breakfast in front of me.
"You don't mind if I date your caretaker right?", he asked me, for the millionth time.
"Cut it out John", I couldn't help but say, "Give her some peace, will you?"
"Are you jealous?", John said in a mischievous tone, "Is there something going on between the two of you", he added looking from me to Kate and then back at me. I gave him a serious look, "I am just kidding. I love the food you make", he complimented Kate's cooking once again.
(Kate's POV)
"Thank you!", I said to him, it's been a few months, since I've met John, and yeah as Leon said he was a good guy with an annoying sense of humor.
"We'll leave now", Leon said once they were done with their breakfast.
"Okay take care both of you", I said and they both left for work.
I had my breakfast in peace reflecting about the things that happened last night for a bit. Leon and John really had tough jobs. What I lived through just one night, maybe they lived through it every other day. I didn't think much of it before because I was simply ignorant about it, but having a somewhat sideline experience I could say that they both were really brave men to put their lives on line for the sake of the country and people like us.
I quickly finished my breakfast, since I had a lot of work cut out for me today. I literally felt like I was trying to clean a scene of crime, in an attempt to erase all sorts of murder evidence, as I rubbed and cleaned the blood off the floor and washed Leon's blood stained T-shirt. The only thing I was missing in this experience was hiding a dead body.
(Kate's POV)
I unlocked the door and Shadow came to greet me. I couldn't really pet him since my hands were full and then there were more important things like the phone that was ringing for some time now. I rushed to set the groceries on the kitchen counter and hurriedly moved towards the phone which was now down to its last ring.
"Hello?", I answered catching my breath.
"Where were you? I've been calling you for ages", it was Leon and he seemed pretty mad.
"I am sorry, I was out grocery shopping", I told him a bit annoyed myself, from being talked like that.
"Get a cell phone, next time you go shopping", he said and I heard a door slam and looked back to spot Leon entering from the back door.
"I won't waste my money on something like that", I said to him with a shake of my head, putting back the phone receiver.
"Take my money", he said still a bit angry.
"I don't want your money", I told him. I didn't want my employer doing too many favors on me.
"Okay I'd cut it from your salary ", he said stepping up to me.
"It's the same as wasting money", I gave him my reason.
"Fine, give it back when you feel like it", he said putting a weight in his voice and literally towering over me.
"Why are you getting so mad over a phone call?", I asked almost screaming back at him.
"I thought you were dead!", he said and I realized he was actually concerned about me, and I was arguing about a petty thing.
"I… I am… I am fine", I told him looking away, since he was a little too close for comfort.
"I can see that", Leon said backing away, probably realizing the same. He sat on the kitchen counter and held his wounded shoulder.
"Is it hurting?", I asked him concerned, after all I was partially the reason he hurried back home.
"A bit but I'll be fine", he replied and I offered him a glass of water, "Thanks!"
"You should take off and rest", I said to him even though I knew my advice was falling on deaf ears. I have been working for Leon for over 3 months and I hadn't seen him take an off not even on weekends, sometimes he won't even come back during the night, but I reckon that he probably stays over at his girlfriend.
Leon muttered something under his breath, which I didn't quite catch, and before I could ask what it was all about, his phone rang and he took the call, "Kennedy here", he said on the phone and then waited for the other person to speak, "Okay I'll have a look into it and can I get a few days off starting tomorrow?", I almost dropped the eggs that I was keeping in the refrigerator when I heard that, "Thanks!", he said sarcastically.
"You didn't get off?", I asked him casually.
"I did get off, plus since I am injured they asked me to do paper work till I get better", he said a bit bitterly.
"Isn't that great?!", I asked him confused, "You'd get to be home early, get plenty of sleep and for a change have hot dinner."
"I hate paper work", he said with an utter disgust in his tone.
(Leon's POV)
"Aww… that's cute", Kate said with a smile and I felt uneasy, "You're just like a kid who hates homework", she ruffled my hair.
And before I could answer her my phone beeped as it received a file. I looked at the file and then at Kate, who had moved to fill Shadow's bowl. The file had all the info on Kate, I opened and read through it and it wasn't much different from what she had told me. She grew up in a foster home; she was good in studies went to med school winning scholarship and working part time to cover her expenses. She worked as a paramedic and then abruptly resigned from her job. She worked as a science teacher but she let go of that job too, and soon after she came to work for me. I looked at her, as she started to prep up for dinner. I didn't understand why her situation got from better to worse, when usually it's the other way around.
"Can I ask you one thing?", I couldn't stop myself from asking.
"What?", she asked back, not paying that much attention to me.
"Why are you working for me when you could work as a Paramedic or a Doctor and earn more", I asked her out of curiosity.
She froze for a bit and then said, "It's a long and boring story, you shouldn't concern yourself with that", she replied not looking at me and continued to prepare for dinner.
"I have lots of time now", I said in an encouragement.
"But I don't", she said avoiding the subject, "I have to concentrate here to make dinner, you know."
"Well, tell me the story, if it gets too late to make dinner then I'd take you out for dinner", I tried to convince her.
She stood up straight, took a deep breath and sighed out in defeat, "I am safer here, with you", she said in a very serious tone, still keeping her back to me.
"What?!", I asked her confused.
"You heard me right; taking care of this house is easier. I never wanted a hectic job of a paramedic", she replied vaguely, turning to look at me and smiled.
"I see", I said in response.
I wasn't convinced with her answer but I didn't push her into telling me. She just worked for me and it was none of my business to question her about her life or her past. It was her choice whether to work as a paramedic or a teacher or as a housekeeper. What really mattered to me was that she was not an assassin or a foreign nation's spy or any sort of threat for the country, and the files that Hunnigan just sent me proved that she didn't have such associations so it was fine with me.
I lifted myself up from the counter seat to head to my room to have a shower, and catch up some sleep before the dinner. I informed Kate about it, so she calls me down for dinner, and she nodded in acknowledgment and I headed to my bedroom to get some well deserved rest.
A/N: I am really grateful that you could give your time to this story. I apologize if you had some inconvenience because of the grammatical mistakes or typos. It would be great if you leave a comment about the chapter. Have a nice week ahead! :D