A/N: I would like to thank all my readers for their immense support, without you this story wouldn't have been here; and the reviewers, KenLalaLaura, mlivingston1432, adela, jubilee loves pyro, Julie909 and Elisona Wesker, for their valuable feedback. Thanks a lot for appreciating and also helping me to write better by giving me some pointers. I am really grateful.

Chapter 21

(Kate's POV)

The taxi driver held open the cab door for me, since I had my hands laden with grocery bags. I thanked him and got in the cab's backseat. I let Shadow hop in, before closing the door. I gave driver the destination and got busy looking out the window thinking about things. It had been nearly two weeks since Leon had left for the trip and I thought that it might help me in getting accustomed to his absence, but I couldn't be more wrong. I thought more and more about him, waited for his calls, even though he didn't call every day, and worried about him, if he was doing alright, if he had his meals, if he got in anything dangerous and many more things.

Every time Leon called our conversation just didn't end at him asking about his house and Shadow; as days passed, it was getting more and more casual. I'd often ask about his day, to which he'd ask about mine and we would end up talking on completely random topics, sometimes joking about stuff, occasionally he would flirt and then apologize immediately. Although it was a subconscious thing at his end but his flirting just made me feel wrong emotions at the wrong time, the ones that made me feel loved when I knew it was nothing like that. Now I wasn't even sure if I could survive once I leave his house, when I was so habituated to his presence.

Shadow's bark startled me and I looked at him; he raised himself to look out the cab window that for a moment I thought he was going to jump out of the moving car. But then I realized that we were in our residential complex and he was probably excited to get out of this cramped space. I smiled patting his head once, and within a few minutes the cab stopped in front of the house. I paid the cab driver, got out of the cab and Shadow jumped out after me. I collected the grocery bags and driver offered his assistance once again but I told him that I'll manage on my home.

Shadow danced around my feet, as I made my way to the house. He seemed to be very excited about something. I kept the grocery bags down and searched for the house keys in my bags, when Shadow barked at me impatiently. I showed him the key before putting it in the lock and opening it. I picked up the grocery bags and opened the door. The moment I stepped inside, I heard a woman shouting. I couldn't understand what she said, but I knew it was Lauren and that maybe she was crying.

It seemed Leon was back and she might have come to greet him, and they somehow got in a fight. I couldn't really step in the living room when they were having an argument, but I couldn't really go anywhere else with the grocery bags. Shadow rushed in the living room to greet Leon and moments later Lauren rushed out with tear-streaked face. She looked at me with contempt.

"It's all your fault!", she blamed me, before exiting the house and slamming the door behind her. I couldn't help but feel guilty, even though I didn't know what they were fighting about.

Leon stepped in the entrance hall and he looked pissed, "How long have you been here?", he asked me in a monotone, but still it sounded more like a scolding.
"I just arrived", I told him not meeting his eyes, "I didn't hear anything", I guess people don't want other people to see them fighting. He huffed with a sarcastic smile, "So what happened?", I shouldn't have asked him about his personal relationship, but I somehow felt responsible after what Lauren just said to me.
Leon looked at me for one whole minute and let out a sigh, "Same old drama, you don't need to worry about it", he spoke a little too casually about it.
"It seemed serious, she was crying", I told him thinking maybe he didn't see her cry.
"It's always like that", Leon said without a care, "I am already used to it."
"You're telling me everything is fine?!", I said doubtfully, expressing my concern.
"Not now; but eventually everything will be fine", he replied seemingly very tired, "I've been in this long enough to know that it'll be fine!", he smiled weakly at me, possibly as a gesture of assurance.

I couldn't un-see what I saw and I knew that Leon's relationship with Lauren was stressed. Like she had told me, they were maybe fighting more and more, but I swear to god I hoped Leon was right that it was something very usual between them and the damage was still repairable. I didn't want to see him hurt because of all this, and I mentally prayed to god to make things better for him. I might be able to live with an unrequited love, but it would be damn hard to live with the guilt of breaking someone's relationship, especially when that someone is the person I love dearly.

I took a deep breath to compose myself, "You didn't say you were coming today when we talked 2 days before", I tried to change topic, walking past him to get to the kitchen.
"I thought I would surprise you", he replied following me to the kitchen and I didn't know how to respond, "But you really don't seem happy that I am back."
"Why should I be happy?", I asked him keeping my voice neutral setting the groceries in their place. The truth was I was very happy to see that he returned, but I was sad too, since it meant that I have to leave this place. I was losing my capability to handle these conflicting emotions. I couldn't disguise one for another, and it was easier to just stay neutral.
"Ah yeah… stupid question", Leon said in response, "Anyways I have to go to work."

(Leon's POV)

"Didn't you just come back from work?", Kate almost snapped at me, much like a girlfriend, and turned to look at me briefly.
"Yeah but it's still my working hours, so I have to go back", I explained the situation to her.
"Oh", she said in realization getting busy with her work, "But still you should rest a bit, you might fall sick."
I smiled; the level of concern she showed towards me, made me feel really great, made me feel happy and cared for, "You know…", I began but I decided not to put my thoughts into words and she looked back at me waiting for me to complete my sentence, "Never mind, I'm going to get ready to head back to work."
"Alright!", she gave me a couple of nods before turning back to her work.

I walked back watching her for a bit, before turning my back on her. I climbed up the stairs and opened my bedroom door. It looked the same as I left it, some two weeks ago. It seemed Kate was taking good care of it in my absence, since I couldn't even see a speck of dust here. She really was impeccable when it came to taking care of anything whether it be my dog, my house, my room or me. I smiled opening my wardrobe to get a pair of clothes.

As I was choosing my clothes, my phone rang and I looked at it, expecting it to be Hunnigan, but seeing the number made me frown. It just killed all the good vibes that I managed to harbor in Kate's presence. I put my phone aside and took a pair of my clothes. I headed for the shower and took a cold shower, which I really needed among other things. When I exited the bathroom, my ringing phone again grabbed my attention and I again took it, almost sure that it must be Hunnigan but it wasn't her.

The call got disconnected and I saw Lauren had called a couple of times and even left me a few messages, telling me she was sorry and that she loved me very much. I couldn't help but shake my head a little, seeing her messages, and smiled. I felt a number of emotions reading those texts, but I just didn't have time to dwell on those feelings for long. I was getting late for work, so I hurriedly pulled up my clothes and left for work.

(Leon's POV)

I yawned out of tiredness, as I got in my house. Shadow came to greet me, and even though I felt too tired I bent down to give him a much deserved attention. I walked in the kitchen to have my dinner and enjoyed it peacefully all by myself. I put the dirty dishes in the sink and headed upstairs to sleep. I pushed open my bedroom door, when I noticed the light escaping from underneath Kate's bedroom door, telling me she was still awake. My feet took me to her room on its own and my hand knocked on the door once.

"Leon?", I heard her bewildered voice from the other side and I pushed open the door, "Oh thank god; you scared me!", she said relieved and resumed what she was doing. It seemed she was reorganizing her stuff, since her room was a mess; her clothes were on the bed and a couple of books on the floor.
"It's a little odd time to organize stuff", I couldn't help but comment picking one of her books off the floor.
"I am packing my stuff", she told me and put her clothes in a bag.
"Packing?", I repeated puzzled and she hummed in response, as she started folding her dress, "Why?"
"Well you are here now, so I can leave", she replied moving to get more of her clothes from the wardrobe. I was stunned for a bit from hearing that, since I had already forgotten that she was supposed to leave, "Did you forget?", she asked with a laugh and I gave her a nod, "Oh well now you know."
"When are you leaving?", I asked her, as she moved back and forth, trying to adjust her things.
"Day after tomorrow", she replied casually, "You showed up without a notice and I wasn't really prepared to leave. I mean my things weren't packed among other things, it would take me one more day to sort out my things then I'll be on my way", she added, took the book from my hand and put it in her bag, "I need a bigger bag", she muttered to herself and sighed, "I'll ask Claire. Anyways you needed something?"

"No, I just wanted to see you, I guess", I told her with a shrug.
"See me?", Kate repeated to me confused.
"Yeah, I mean I was just checking on you", I replied with a smile, "Since you are not really up this late."
"Oh", she said in realization, "I think we should sleep now."
"Together?", I was again stepping out of the line before I knew it and she frowned at me, "I am just kidding. I'll head to my room now", I added starting to walk out of her room. Midway between closing her room door, I looked back at her and couldn't help but ask, "You're not leaving because I flirt with you, right?"
"No", she answered shaking her head in negative.
"Okay, I just wanted to make sure you won't remember me as a creep", I said exiting her room and closing the door behind me.

I dragged my feet to my room, had a shower and lied on my bed, feeling tired for an entirely different reason now. I was a little surprised that I forgot that Kate would be leaving; and even though I needed her, I couldn't really stop her. Well I got along just fine without her, so I guess her leaving this place wouldn't really make much of a difference. It would just be inconvenient because there would be no one to look after Shadow and my house. I wouldn't have my meals ready for me; would have to spend my weekends cleaning the place, doing laundry and what not; would have to wake up to empty water jugs after a nightmare; would have to sleep in cold, whenever I crash on the couch; and I would have no one looking after me. Yeah, it would be super inconvenient without her.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter, even though it was a little short. I apologize for typos or grammatical mistakes, which might have confused you. Just 2 more chapters are remaining; I hope you can bear a little bit longer. And please feel free to leave your comments about anything related to the story, I enjoy reading your views and it aids my writing. See you all next week and I wish you all have a great time. :D