A/N: Thanks to all the readers for taking time out to read this story and I am also thankful to my reviewers Shirahane Aikawa and Mercenary Nemesis for taking out extra time to review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil or any of its characters appearing in this story. They are property of Capcom.

Chapter 14

(Kate's POV)

"Oh my god you came…", Amy, Brenda's young sister, who is a couple of months older than me yelled when she saw me at her door and then she saw Leon unloading our luggage and paying the cab driver over my shoulder, "Who's the hottie?"
"My husband", I replied.
"He's your husband?!", she asked in shock.
'Unfortunately', I thought, "Yes", I replied.
"Really?", she asked doubtfully.
"Yes", I replied waiting for her to ask me to come inside the house, she had let Leslie and Jessica but she was not letting me go inside. She stepped outside and stared at Leon goggle eyed, this was a perfect chance for me to go in but I don't know what stopped me but I turned back and looked at Leon over my cousin's shoulder.
"Let me help you", I jumped as Dad shouted to Leon coming from behind me, "Kate, your mum is calling you."
"Yeah, I'll go inside", I said and stepped further inside.

The moment I stepped inside I felt like I was in a market place, no it was more like being on train platform when the train has just dropped off their passenger, no wait, wait, "It's a zoo", I muttered under my breath seeing the huge crowd of relatives shouting and yelling for something or the other.
"For the first time in my life I agree with you", I looked sideways and spotted Leon, one thing that was common between us was that we both hated crowds and loved peace.
"Make way", somebody yelled and pushed me aside and I bumped into Leon, a little scream escaping my lips.
"You okay?", Leon asked as he pulled me away from another man carrying a huge box.
"What's in them?", Dad asked getting in.
"All the junk, you know we had to clean a lot of rooms to make room for all the relatives", my uncle said.
"And even then we were only able to make room for elders", my aunt said and everybody laughed.

"At least Mum and Dad got rooms for us", Leslie said cheerfully.
"No young lady", Mom said to her, "You are to sleep with other families here is the Living room."
"We're doomed", twins chorused bumping their heads together acting all gloomy.
"However you can put your luggage in our room", Dad said to cheer them up.
"Yippie!", Jessica exclaimed sarcastically.

"Brenda you said Kate would be coming where is she?", Patrick one of Brenda's bother's close friend asked coming from one of the rooms and I tried to hide behind Leon. I didn't like that guy because he liked me too much, something about him didn't feel right.

"Well she's over there?", mum said pointing at me, "Standing behind her husband."
"Why are you hiding, give your ol' pal a hug", he said pulling me out and in a tight hug at it was a bit hard to breathe. I literally pushed him away.

(Leon's POV)

"This is my husband Leon", Kate for the first time in my life introduced me of her own.
"Nice to meet you man", the guy said, who was squeezing Kate to death, giving me his hand and when I held his hand he shook it hardly saying, "Sorry but you see I was in military so it happens sometime."
"Not the same field but I think I know what it's like, I was a policeman", I said crushing his hand in my grip.
"Okay that's enough", Kate made me let go of his hand otherwise I would have broken his wrist bones for sure, "This is Patrick."
"Nice to meet you", I smirked.

"So how many bones were you intended on breaking", Leslie asked whispering in my ear.
"Each and every", I replied casually.
"Ohhhhh", the twins said.
"Big price for hugging your wife", Jessica teased.
"Not for that", I said casually, "But for not showing this affection before we got married", and I said and three of us broke out laughing.

"Kate", Kate's elder sister, Liza came running downstairs with her Baby and husband, "It's been so long, I didn't believe Dad when he said you'd be coming", she said hugging her.
"I do not believe it myself", Kate tried to say sarcastically but presented it more in joking way.
"Leon, How are you?", she asked hugging me while Kate played with the baby in his husband's arms.
"I am fine Liz", I told her.
"Hey, brother-in-law", Liz's husband Sam said shaking hands with me. He was a businessman and was a really nice guy.

"Meet the rest of the family later, first let's just put our luggage in the room", Kate's Dad said and thank god he said that because everybody was thrilled to meet Kate and me.
"Yeah yeah, let me show you to your room", my cousin's mother said, "Welcome to our home", she said to me.
"This is my Aunt Peggy", Kate introduced her to me.
"I am Leon", I introduced myself.
"Kate's husband", the twins added.
"I know, Barbara told me everything about you", the old lady said smiling, "this is your room", she said opening the corner most room.

"There's only one bed", Kate said a bit frowning.
"Oh I am sorry dear but like I said before, we only managed to arrange rooms for elderly, I am afraid young people like you have to sleep down in the hall."
"Great", Kate said sarcastically.
"You knew you have to adjust", Kate's dad said.
"I know but let it be that way dad", she said pulling out her suitcase, "I need a bath to cool off now."
"Be downstairs, it's almost lunch time", Kate's Dad said.
"I am tired and am skipping that, because I wanna sleep", she said taking out her clothes and moving in the bathroom closing the door really hard. Anybody could tell she was mad.
"Guess I should wait for her", I said to no one in particular.

"I don't know why you guys are so good in pretending that you love each other", Jessica said shrugging as they flopped on the bed.
"I don't know myself", I said truthfully.
"But you two look cute together", Jessica said to me.
"What are you saying they look HOT", Leslie said and they started arguing.
"Hey stop it", I had to yell at last to make them stop, "Woah…. I never thought that your thoughts differed."
"Well can't you see I am a little wild and she is soft and silent", Leslie said.
"Yeah I am all the brains and she's blunt", Jessica said.
"Apart from that, I thought you were same", I said to them.

"Girls", Kate's mother came shouting a bit.
"Yeah mum", they said together.
"Come on your Aunt Peggy said you can take a bath in their room", she said.

"That's great", they both opened their bags and started another argument about who's gonna go first and I just laughed, if I didn't know these guys I would have tried to make them stop but it was just to make me see what Kate and I looked like when we argue about little things, if Kate would have been here she might pulled their ears but I quite enjoyed their arguments, not because they were silly but thinking how well they took after me and Kate. I don't know if Kate and I are ever gonna stop arguing, okay that's never gonna happen, but I also know one more thing that in a few years twins gonna be extremely professional when it would come to arguing.

(Kate's POV)

When I walked out of the bathroom I saw Leon relaxing on the bed with Shadow by the bed's foot, "What are you doing here?", I asked him.
"Well I can't walk down saying, sorry my wife doesn't like hordes of people so she's pretending to be tired, so I decided to just come down to escape her anger", he replied smiling, enjoying the fact that I was really mad.
"Oh really you can do it, so I'll just go down and tell same thing about you adding the fact that you are using this fact to your advantage", I stated and don't know what made me but I walked to open the door and next thing I know Leon hand wrapped around my waist, stopping me from going outside, "Leave me you idiot", I barely managed not to shout at him due the annoyance which was due to our proximity.
"If you take a face like this downstairs everybody would know about us and that includes your mom", he said and I calmed down a bit, so he released me.
"I am sleeping", I said to no one in particular, I was really feeling tired and if I have to sleep on the floor at night, I might sleep a bit right now.
"I'll have a bath", Leon said and headed to the bathroom.

(Kate's POV)

"Kate, Kate", somebody not only yelled but kept beating the door like mad disturbing my sleep.

I couldn't help but curse as I recognized the voice as my cousin's, I decided to ignore it and turned to my other side and to my surprise Leon was sleeping with me. He stirred a bit and cursed as it woke him up too but maybe he too recognized the voice and went back to sleep, but she banged the door even harder, "Damn these people", Leon sat up with a start.

'Good, get rid of them for me', I thought and smirked inwardly. I knew very well if anything makes Leon lose his sleep, he doesn't get it back again, caught two birds with a single bullet.

I heard him open the door and say, "Yes, you needed something?", he asked as politely as he could for the moment, "Hello!", I heard Leon again and it made me look back and I realized he hadn't had his shirt on himself.

(Leon's POV)

"Put a shirt on", Kate said pushing me out of the way, she snapped her fingers in front of her cousin's face, "You wanted something?"
"Uh… yes it's been an hour and you two didn't show up until now and there was no sign that you two…", she was saying but I felt her eyes on me.
"We were just sleeping", Kate replied, "We had to come directly from the work, so we were tired…", she lied; I have never in my life seen a liar like Kate, maybe that's why she is a top agent.
"Everybody wants to meet you it's been 10 years since we all saw you guys", Amy told her.
"Okay we'll be down in a moment", Kate said and closed the door at her face, "Change your clothes and get ready, we have to go meet everyone."

(Kate's POV)

"How do I look?", I asked Leon brushing my hair one last time.
"Like an Angel", he replied walking and standing behind me, "What about me?", he asked.
I straightened his collar and said, "Now its better", he smiled at that.
"Shall we take Shadow along", he asked me.
"Yes, if you want him to eat every person alive", I said to him.
"What if I say I want him to eat every person alive", he said laughing and I glared at him, "At least let him at this Patrick", he said this seriously.
"No", I said to him as we walked out the room. When we reached the top of the stairs I wrapped my arm around his and we descended down to the overcrowded living room.

It looked like more guests and families have arrived after us, "Oh look its Kate and her husband, everybody's is dying to meet you two", my uncle yelled and then I had to introduce each and everyone to Leon and Leon to everyone. Then every woman dragged me to the kitchen saying they wanted my help to prepare dinner for everybody and I had to deal with chopping lots and lots of vegetables while they discussed their soap operas. When I was finally free of everything I sneaked past every person, so that they won't ask me the questions that either I don't know the answer to or the ones which I don't want to answer.

I decided to spend my time with twins but they were nowhere to be found and when I asked Dad he told me they were sleeping in my aunt's bed because of the fact that they won't get a good sleep on the floor in the night, so I had no option but to spent my time alone reading a book as usual. I made my way back to the room, got my favorite book and headed to find a peaceful corner because if I stayed in the room, it is too obvious they're gonna run here to find me.

"Kate", somebody grabbed my hand as I was making my way through an empty hallway, I turned to see it was Patrick.
"You needed something", I tried to smile.
"Uh huh…", he said looking me from head to toe checking me out, "You've grown beautiful."
"Thanks, I have to go Leon must be waiting", I made the first excuse that came in my mind but his grip tightened on my hand.
"He sees you every day, spend a little time with me", Patrick said and then I heard growling sounds and was really relieved to see Shadow behind Patrick, I really don't want to use force here. Shadow looked angry and was ready to dig his teeth in Patrick. I gave him a slight nod and he started barking, which made Patrick immediately let go off me, "Stupid dog", he scowled at Shadow and took a paper weight from a desk and threw it at Shadow.
"He's my dog", I said angrily catching that paper weight, "Shadow here boy", Shadow walked to my heel, "Don't hurt him, you get it", I sort of threatened him and walked away from him.

I followed Shadow and he took me up to the roof. I found Leon sitting on the edge of it, "Found and brought your mistress, great", he said sarcastically not even looking at me as if he knew I would be coming.
"You sent him?", I asked moving towards him.
"Why would I send him, he senses whenever you are in trouble", he told me, "He took off by himself."
"Don't you?", I asked standing by his side.
"Don't I, What?", he asked looking at me.
"Nothing", I dropped the topic before it leads to another argument. I also sat on the edge by Leon's side enjoying the evening breeze, "You sure have a talent of finding peaceful places", I said to him closing my eyes.
"Beautiful too", he said and I looked at him confused and he pointed in a direction. I didn't notice it before but the view was overwhelmingly beautiful, small town shimmering with colorful lights.
"It's… I am speechless", I said looking at the view but in doing so I lost my balance I was about to fall but it took me longer to register that than it took Leon, it was kinda reflex to him.
He was already saying, "Careful", he was holding both of my arms and I was holding his arms, we looked at each other for a moment before leaving each other, "Women like shiny things that reminds them of diamonds, don't they."

(Leon's POV)

"Yeah but I just don't like diamonds because they're shiny or expensive but I love them because they're tough", Kate replied metaphorically.
"You know it becomes hard to understand you sometimes, you're twisted", I said looking down at the town.
"Just like you", she said casually.
"And yet you understand me as if I am detailed book", I stated the fact.
"Do you hate the fact that I understand you?", she asked seriously.
"I find it surprising", I admitted the fact
"It's been five years Leon, how can I not understand you", she explained.
"You understand me from day one, all my training, everything fails in front of you", I told her a bit monotonously.
"Maybe you're not that good", she said as the conversation was getting serious.

"You know I am best but you won't admit it", I said and she hit me with the book she had.
"And I thought we were having a serious talk", Kate said shaking her head.
"It's something I learnt from John, if you see your conversation is running fast towards an argument just crack up a stupid joke", I told her smiling.
"I thought you liked arguing with me", she said smiling.
"Actually I love it", I quipped back and she looked away smiling, "Hey Kate", I grabbed her hand and a small scream escaped her lips, "What happened?", I asked looking down at her wrist and again there were few scratch marks on her wrist, "Patrick did that", I stated more than I asked her and she nodded. I sighed, "What makes you loyal towards me?"

(Kate's POV)

"The same thing that makes you loyal towards me", I replied to him. The conversation between us died down and we just sat watching the city, in absolute silence which broke when my phone buzzed and Mum called me downstairs asking for my help with something and I left Leon alone without even saying goodbye or telling him that I had to go or anything.

(Kate's POV)

"Amy, what're you doing?", my aunt asked her.
"I've been setting a dinner plate for Leon", she told her mother.
"He won't eat that", I told her seeing all the things at the plate rather monotonously as if really uninterested, "He is not that much fond of spicy stuff."
"Ohhh", the twins hooted as I served them and I glared at them and they hurried out taking their plate.
"I know he'll love it, I made it myself. After that he would start loving spicy stuff", she said dreaming something definitely wild about Leon.
"Not happening", I almost snapped at her, "I got his plate set already", I said and moved out to place it in front of Leon.

"So Leon how did you meet Kate", Brenda's father asked.
"I met her through her father, I met him regarding some work", Leon replied as I set the plate in front of him and he mumbled a thanks. I brought my plate next and placed it next to Leon's and then took Shadow with me so I could give him dinner too. And when I was done giving him his food and washing my hands I heard loud coughs and recognized it as Leon's and rushed out to see he was coughing like mad while the whole animal crew were shouting something or the other but what caught my attention was Amy and her made dish in Leon's plate.

"Seesh, she gave him the spicy food", Leslie said appearing by my side.
"Kate had told her not to", Jessica said standing on my other side.
"Just look at him", Leslie spoke again in a pitiful voice.
"He's face is as red as a tomato", Jessica said, "Oh my god… I can't see him."
"He's really finding it tough", Leslie said again.

(Leon's POV)

"I told you he won't eat that", Kate almost scolded Amy. She moved to my side and offered me a glass of water rubbing my back, "He can't stand spicy stuff you idiot", she said concerned.
"But I just wanted…", Amy tried to excuse herself.
"You wanted what? To kill him", she said sarcastically and angrily.
"Cool down little sis", Liz said to Kate.
"You were there weren't you, when I told her clear and straight that he's can't eat too much spicy stuff, so which part of that was not clear to her", Kate said refilling my glass of water.
"Kate, it's okay I am fine", I told her luckily I tasted only a bit.

"Okay", Kate said calming down and Amy sat by my side, the one place Kate had reserved for herself. But Amy just simply pushed Kate's plate aside and sat down and I swear Kate glared at her for doing that but she didn't say anything. She sat down on other side of the Amy and began eating her dinner in silence, apart from the answers she had to give for some general questions.

The whole dinner was a bit odd. Kate was very furious, although it wasn't showing that much on her face but I could tell that she was in a foul mood. Twins were snickering, giving me thumbs up occasionally and if at all Kate caught them she would give them a cold stare that looked really dangerous and the twins stopped their stupid activities and concentrate on food. The most disturbing thing was that Amy kept telling me about herself, it seemed she was really fond of herself or like every other woman she didn't care that I was married.

(Leon's POV)

We headed upstairs once we finished our dinner, to change into our night clothes, since we had to sleep in the living room with a huge number of other people and by the time we were heading up many had made their bed on the floor saying they got to have the best place, "You're sleeping on floor and there is no such thing as a nice spots", Kate commented climbing up the stairs.

"Why are you mad?", I asked her taking the matter lightly.
"For many reasons", she replied and before I could ask her anything she added, "Don't make me add one more."
"Okay, so we're sleeping on the floor; what about Shadow, you know he sleeps near our feet everyday", I asked her changing the topic.
"He can sleep wherever he wants", Kate said to me, "Right boy", she addressed Shadow, "He can either sleep here with mum and dad or just sleep on the floor with
us", she added opening the room door where our luggage was.
"I think he would sleep with us", I said looking at Shadow and he barked.
"That's settled then", she said reaching to get her clothes.

Kate took her clothes and headed to change in the bathroom while I decided to change in the bedroom, "Where should I put my dirty clothes?", I yelled to Kate.
"Put them separately, I'll do the laundry tomorrow", she yelled back.
"I am setting them on the loveseat here", I said tossing the clothes on the loveseat.
"Where?", she asked getting out and I pointed and she rolled her and mine dirty clothes in a bundle and set them on the couch, "I'll clean them tomorrow", she looked at me, "Please put some shirt on."
"What? Why?", I asked surprised, "You never complained before, you know it's my habit to sleep like this."
"You have weird and bad habit", she muttered to herself and continued, "I know, but this not our home and I am just avoiding what happened when you opened the door when Amy showed up when we were sleeping plus you're not a fitness model", she said and reached in the bag and pulled out a loose cotton shirt and held it so I could put my hands in it, "You can leave a few buttons unbuttoned", she said leaving about three buttons open at the top.

(Kate's POV)

"Are you doing this because you don't want other women drooling over me", Leon said smiling.
"What?! Get lost", I couldn't help but say, "Loose the shirt if you want, I don't care, I was trying to make you look decent."
"Okay, here goes the shirt then", he unbuttoned the shirt and just then Liz and her husband came in and the bottom line is he wasn't wearing any Shirt either. He wasn't as well built as Leon but he wasn't a fatso either.

"Hey, Kate", Liza said getting in the room, "You look good Leon", she complimented looking at her husband.
"I can't work out like him", Sam said raising his hands, little did he knew Leon rarely worked out maybe on Sundays if at all he stayed home.
"Thanks both of you for the compliment", Leon said looking at me smiling more and I felt like hitting him.
"Didn't they arrange a room for you", I asked them, "I mean you two have a baby."
"Nope, too many old people", Sam replied shaking his head.
"But Mom and Dad said they will look after Kevin, if we make him sleep downstairs his sleep might get disturbed and then he won't let anybody sleep", Liz said, "So you guys heading downstairs?"
"Yeah", I replied, "Aren't you guys sleeping now?"
"We'll make Kevin sleep here then we'll go to sleep", Sam replied.
"Okay see you then, Goodnight both of you", I said moving towards.
"Goodnight", Leon wished them too.
"Goodnight", they said together and we moved out. On our way down we met Mum, twins and Dad.

"Goodnight Mom, goodnight Dad, twins", I said to them.
"Goodnight", they all chorused and we descended the ladder.
"Keep a nice spot for us", the twins yelled.
"Yeah", Leon replied.

When we got down, almost every young man was shirtless, even the gross, fat, hairy and so many adjectives that haven't yet been discovered, 'Great, this is a Fashion Show', I thought to myself. Some were even comparing their biceps and triceps, while their wives or girlfriends just giggled stupidly.
"See I am not the only one", Leon commented as we took two pillows and a blanket for ourselves.
"Tomorrow is a big day so just sleep everybody", my uncle yelled and turned off the light as everyone settled in their bed. The twins settled themselves a bit away from us with Shadow, yeah it took them time but they befriended Shadow.
"He's is saying as if we are in a sleep over party", I muttered under my breath lying on my usual side of the bed. Well it couldn't be called a bed it was really old, uncomfortable mattress and what's worse the moment I lied down I spotted Patrick by my other side. His eyes were closed but he was smiling I pulled the covers over my shoulder as I felt a sudden chill.

I closed my eyes to get rid of this uncomfortable feeling but it kept creeping in and I could feel Patrick's gaze on me. I opened my eyes and noticed that his hand had moved closer to me. I turned to my other side so I was facing Leon now. He was fast asleep, I tried to look who was on his other side and it was Amy, "Want to change sides?", Leon asked his eyes still close.

"Yeah", I whispered to him and started to get up to round off to his other side but he lifted me up and set me from his left to right side, "Uh… that was quite convenient", I said to him.
"Hmm…", he just hummed and didn't withdraw his hand over my waist. Last time I thought he might have done it in his sleep but now I doubt that too, "Goodnight", he said after sometime withdrawing his hand and as I turned to look at him he was turning his other side but he stopped, "Wanna switch again?", he asked.
I shook my head, "Why are you asking?", I asked him.
"Uh… I just thought even if this side was uncomfortable but that side you wouldn't be able to sleep", he said being a bit comfortable.
"Why is that?", I asked confused since he wasn't making any sense to me, well he rarely did when he spoke but now I was totally clueless.
"You always face to your left so you could avoid seeing me and now I am on your left side and you…", he sighed staring at the ceiling, "… you get it."
"Yes… and you don't", I said to him and he turned his head to look at me.

"What?", he asked.
"What?", I asked confused.
"You said I don't get it. What I didn't get?", he said turning fully to face me.
"Just sleep Leon, everybody is a early riser here unlike you", I said and was about to turn to my other side but instead I adjusted my hair and closed my eyes and let sleep take over me.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I apologize for any inconvenience you had whilst reading.