A/N: I am grateful to all my readers and reviewers, Lancelot Albion, Shirane Aikawa, Mercenary Nemesis DieingRose and Deep Shadowz, for their reviews.

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil or any of its characters appearing in the story, they all belong to Capcom.

Chapter 19

(Leon's POV)

"Wow Leon you look really good", Kate's mother complimented me as I descended the stairs, the wedding day was finally here. The things just got worse between me and Kate that her mother almost caught us arguing the other day but we like always managed to slip out. Her Dad tried to counsel both of us but we ended up bickering again that he lost his temper and asked us to take divorce and Kate yelled that she will and stormed out of the room, "You know, you should put on the tie", her mother said again, "Kate, would you help him tying his tie", she yelled to Kate who was busy helping her elder sister Liza with make-up.

"He knows how to tie a tie", she said giving a finishing touch to her sister's make-up.
"But wouldn't it be nice to do it for him", her mother said to her.
"No mom he doesn't need me with such small things", she said checking for something in her purse.
"She's in really bad mood isn't she", her mother asked me and I faked a smile. I don't know why I wanted her to do my tie for a change and I wanted to make it up to her. I was again feeling lonely in the crowd.

(Kate's POV)

"I am upstairs", Leon said walking up the stairs. Dad just gave him a nod and looked at me as he moved to get his tie tied by me.
"Did you argue?", he asked so no one could hear.
"Daddy please, it's been what like 4-5 days and I am getting sick from all this pretending thing", I said to him, "There you go", I smiled as I was done tying his tie.
"Don't change the topic", Dad said a bit annoyed.
"I am not", I said to him, "You very well know the answer to the question you are asking."

"Do you stop Leon from telling you anything?", Dad asked.
"What are you saying, Dad?", I asked him, "First we have to have a normal talk to tell each other anything. We are still on the point of ignoring each other."
Before dad could say anything Mum called me, because she needed me to do her make-up.

(Leon's POV)

I splashed water on my face I was feeling suffocating and vulnerable. I was in desperate need to be comforted by someone. I tried calling Claire or John but seemed like they were busy in something else because Claire wasn't picking up calls and John's mobile like most of the time came switched off.

I looked at myself in the mirror and opened a few top buttons of my shirt as I walked back to the room. I pulled the tie that was round my neck and thought of dropping out of Wedding since I was in no state to go out. My heart was aching, if only somehow I can soothe it. I sat on the bed rubbing the place where supposedly my heart was and just then the room door opened and Kate stepped in the room.

(Kate's POV)

I came up to call Leon but he didn't seem in the mood to be somewhere. He seemed pitiful and almost terrible that I wanted to pull him in my arms just so maybe he could feel better but he won't let me do that even if it was the last thing he needed. Even though I was here to take him with me but I moved to the dressing table as if I was there to look myself up in the mirror. I studied him through the mirror and his eyes were on me.

They were longing something; he gulped as if he hadn't had water for a very long time. I picked up a perfume from the table and pretended I not to notice him but I was worried because of his this sudden behavior that it was making me forget that we were on the verge of blowing out the truth to my mum, "I… I… can't go to the wedding", he said looking at me as I sprayed perfume on myself.
"What happened?", I asked him as he looked away from me and stared at floor.

(Leon's POV)

"I am not feeling well", I replied looking at my feet as I tried not to breath otherwise I would take in more of her perfume and feel more miserable.
"You were okay a moment ago", Kate said feeling my head.
"I don't have fever", I replied.
"Does any of your previous injuries hurt?", she asked noticing my hand still on my heart.
"Everything's fine", I said to her.
"Okay, I understand", she said turning to leave; "I'll tell Mum and Dad. Do you need something?"
'You', I replied mentally and she turned to look at me as if I had said it out loud.

Kate walked to me and sat by my side and my eyes followed her, "I know it's none of my business or anything but sometimes I can listen to you… and maybe sometimes… sometimes you can… tell me things that are bothering you. So what if I cannot help you with them… I can try you know…", she said seriously looking at me worried, reading me deciphering every thought that I had on my mind, "I also know that there is nothing wrong with you", she buttoned up my shirt, "I personally want you to come", she sighed, "And I am sorry for everything that happened in past few days", she almost muttered and got up and headed for the door just as she was about to open the door her mother opened it.

"Kate, Leon its getting late. Hurry up!", she said to us.
"Leon is not feeling well, Mum. We'll stay back", she said looking at me.
"Yeah he really looks dull today", her mum said looking at me concerned.
"You guys go ahead, we'll join you guys when Leon feels a bit better", Kate suggested.
"Okay sweeties", she said to us and left.

(Kate's POV)

"Thanks", Leon said to me as I again moved to the dressing table.
"For what?", I asked.
"For not leaving me alone", he replied.
"If you want that then you have to come with me to the Wedding because I'll be going there whether you go or not", I said to him hoping he would agree to come with me.
"You go then I won't stop you", Leon said to me still not looking at me.

"But you won't come", I said sighing in frustration.
"I am glad you gave me your time", Leon said.
"Now it's your turn to give me yours. You have to come with me right now", I said turning to look at him and it was a bit commandingly for the moment.

"Okay, give me a bit time to get ready", he said agreeing with me as if he was waiting for me to say that and started doing his hair which were pretty messed up. He tucked in his shirt, put on his socks and shoes and put a bit of his cologne, while I watched him sitting on the bed. When mum asked me to do his tie he looked as if he was ready to go but when I came up to call him, it looked like he had just returned from the party.

"Hurry Up!", I said to him looking at my watch, "It's almost time."
"Yeah I am done, let's go", he said and moved towards the door.

(Leon's POV)

"Wait!", Kate said and I looked back at her, "You forgot something", she showed me my tie.
"Oh yeah, I totally forgot it", I was about to stretch my hand so that she can hand it over but she slung it over my neck and pulled me and yeah I let her pull me close, maybe she did it involuntary but I let it happen knowingly I needed that, didn't I?
"You keep forgetting something or the other things, you really have a really bad memory for an Agent", she said as she made the first knot.
"And you're the most sexy woman for being someone's wife", I replied as she just finished tying my tie and then before she could say anything I placed a long passionate kiss on her cheek. And when I parted she slapped me, slapped me hard, really hard, that my face hurt.
"You perverse idiot", Kate yelled at me furiously as the blood rushed to fill her face.
"Are you getting red because you are furious or is it because you're blushing", I asked smiling making her more furious.
"I am furious you fool", she said grabbing hold of my collar.
And she was about to say more when I smugly said, "Don't worry, next time it would be on lips."

"You're so dead if you even tried to do that", Kate threatened.
"No problem, once I touch those lips. I'll be back to life", I flirted more; it was first time and it almost started involuntary but it felt great being this way than arguing about stupid things. But all this was short lived as Kate's expression changed and she let go of me but she kept looking me in eyes. Her eyes were as deep as oceans trying to look for something in me. Then almost reluctantly looked away and didn't say a word.

(Kate's POV)

"Oh we thought you won't be showing up", Mom said as both me and Leon showed up at the Wedding.
"We had to go see a Doctor", I made up a lie.
"Doctor, my gosh you alright Leon? You go straight home", Mum said concerned.

"Relax mum it was just a severe headache that's all", I made up all lies, because Leon was bad at making up immediate lies and we didn't plan anything since he did and said the most unexpected thing to me and was still taking it lightly. Before when any of us said something like this we both would feel uncomfortable and won't talk until it was absolutely necessary and now…

"Come on Kate it was just a small peck on cheek", Leon said once mum left to find that, "You slapped me right, isn't that enough?", he sighed running a hand in his hair, "Tell me what you want me to do, so you would talk to me. I am sick and tired of you talking to everybody but me", he said seriously. That's… he did it again!

(Leon's POV)

Kate looked at me and maybe I noticed tears before she hurried away without saying anything and I would have took after her but I don't know what was holding me back, keeping me away from her.

All throughout the Wedding Party Kate was distant and didn't talk to me. She was pretending as if I was non-existent and for some reason I felt like I was dead and it was not a good feeling. Whenever I approached her to talk she just looked in another direction and walked away that I stopped doing that and currently I am sitting in a corner far away from everybody's eyes as I watched the couple having their first dance and couldn't help but remember our time.

To be clear I never had that dance with her, I never ever danced with her. We were so busy arguing that we never got the chance. But people who had have danced with her told me she danced very well; well it is expected from a good Agent.

"Why don't you ask her to dance?", I looked sideways, it was the twins.
"As if I want to", I said to them taking out my PDA.
"You don't", Jessica said, "But she does", she pointed at Kate who was busy talking to her mother.
"I don't think so", I said getting my attention back to my PDA.
"If you think she does not dances well then I am telling you that she is the best dancer here", Jessica said.
"Yeah and you should ask her before anyone else does", Leslie said.
"Like I care if anyone asks her to dance", I said to them as I deleted unwanted messages.
"You should, you know", Leslie said.
"Yeah, what we mean is that her dress is backless", Jessica said to her.
"Don't forget the generous neckline", Leslie said.
"Yeah that high cut showing her leg", Jessica said.
"And yeah also that dress is enhancing her every curve", Leslie said to me.
"In short she is young, beautiful and without a dance partner", Jessica said snatching my phone away from me.

(Kate's POV)

"Can I have a dance?", I looked up and it was some guy I didn't recognize.
"Okay", I agreed and he took me to the dance floor.
"Its kinda rude but do I know you?", I asked him.
"No", he replied, "I am from groom's side and supposedly you are from bride's side."
"Yeah I am her younger cousin", I told him.
"Allow me to introduce myself", he said decently, "I am Richard Hughes, call me Rick."
"I am Kathleen Cornor, Kate for short", I told him.
"So why were you sitting all by yourself", he asked me.
"Nobody asked me to dance", I told him.

"Or were you waiting for me", he asked smiling.
"You're quiet funny", I said laughing a bit.
"Witty actually", he said smiling again.
When he said that I don't know why but Leon flashed in my mind briefly, "I have seen wittier", I told him.
"Who? Someone at work?", he asked again.
"Yeah you can say that", I told him smiling, it wasn't lie, Leon and I did work for the same Organization.
"So you're saying you have a boyfriend", he said with an accusing tone.
"No", I replied.
"Then its fine by me", he said and I smiled, "Anyways what do you do?"
"I mostly handle paper work for my Agency", I lied, I mean I can't tell him that I am a well known Secret services Agent.
"So un-cool", he said, "but you know what, I like un-cool people."
"Oh really?", I questioned.
"Actually no", he said and then leaned in closer, "I like hot women like you", he whispered in my ear and I felt as if someone was watching.

(Leon's POV)

"Did he kiss her?", Leslie said looking at Kate.
"I don't know, it looked like it", Jessica replied keeping her eyes on Kate.
"I think he did", Leslie said and I knew they were saying all that just to make me jealous.
"Leon, just go will you?", Jessica said to me.
"I am not going", I said putting on the earphones and listening to the music. The rest after that became inaudible and the twins were called by their mother while I just listened to music, I hoped it all to be true. I just couldn't take my eyes off Kate; I don't know why it felt suffocating watching her dance with some other guy.

'It would not have been happening if you'd just asked her first', a small voice in the back of my mind came up.

'She seems happy', I replied to it as I felt a searing pain when the man's hand lowered on her and it made me smile when Kate pulled it away and slapped him hard, that everyone looked around and Kate just apologized to them and left without a word.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed. I apologize for any inconvenience due to any mistakes in the text.