A/N: Thanks to all my readers who have been patiently reading this story and liking or bearing with Leon and Kate's trivial arguments. And a lot more thanks to my reviewers Shirahane Aikawa, Ultimolu, Lancelot Albion and Mercenary Nemesis.

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

Chapter 20

(Kate's POV)

"Hey why did you hit him?", Leslie asked me the same question for the 5th time and I just glared at her.
"You know Leon was pretty much jealous when you were dancing with him", Jessica told me as I tried to dry my hair with the help of towel.
"Is that so, I thought my plans went down the drain", I said sarcastically.
"You're so rude", Leslie whined.
"It's because you guys are irritating me", I said glaring at them.

"What happened?", mum said getting in the room.
"Mum just ask them to stop bothering me", I said frustrated like a teenager.
"Leslie, Jessica don't frustrate her", Mum said to the twins sternly.
"Ohhh….", they whined while I brushed my hair. I watched mum get her overcoat while the twins helped her.
"You going somewhere mom", I asked untangling my hair.

"Yeah to that old family match", she replied.
"Don't tell me they still play that even after 5 years", I said shaking my head in disbelief.
"Well of course they do it's a means of showing which of the two families are excellent", Mum said buttoning her coat.
"Plus its fun", the twins said excitedly, "We get to see a different sport every time."
"What is it now?", I asked.
"Soccer", they both replied.
"Soccer?", I repeated, "Are they mad, just because they played that in High School and stuff, doesn't mean they can play now. Old men will usually break their backs", I stated the fact.

"None of the old men are playing only our male cousins and female cousin's husbands or boyfriends are playing", Jessica told me.
"In fact Leon is playing too", Leslie told me casually which made me drop my brush.
"What?!", I almost screamed, "How did he know?"
"Well we were one player short and we had no option but to quit and just then he returned with Shadow. We asked him if he wants to play he said yes and by now probably he's on the ground."
"I gotta see this match", I said collecting my things and putting them in my bag.
"And I thought you didn't like those matches", Mother said and lead us out.

"I still hate those. I am just curious why Leon agreed", I told her.
"That's because he's family", mum replied smiling.
'Family, I am still confused about that', I couldn't help but think as we headed to grounds.

(Leon's POV)

"Leon you ready, my boy?", Kate's dad asked.
"Yeah I am", I told him putting on my spike shoes.
"Great the gear fits you perfectly", he said to me.
"Yeah everything's perfect", I said as we lined up to get to the grounds.
"Okay I'll be in the stands with twins and Kate's mum", he told me.
"Kate's not coming", the thing just slipped out of my mouth.
"Nah… this family tradition doesn't interest her much", he told me casually, "If she'd been here, she'd wish you luck", he said patting my shoulder.
"Yeah right", I said sarcastically smiling and then Kate's dad left for the stands and I left for the field.

What am I doing here again? Well I am here to play a game of soccer. From all the information I have of the opposition team is that they're distant relatives of Kate's, which I have met but I don't quiet remember. The match is held every year partially for fun and most probably to boost the old men's ego up a notch in the family. Kate's father has 3 brothers and their family pair randomly each year to face the other pair. So my job is to help them win this thing.

"Captains step forward", the unbiased referee said and the Captains did, "Shake hands", it was again followed, "Have a nice match", he said putting the ball on the ground and opposition offensive player kicked it high in the air and made a pass to the other one. But the defensive player on our team stole the ball and headed for the opponents half of the field, "Hey what're you doing standing in the field?", one the men from the opposition commented as he went past me and my eyes followed him as he stole the ball back.

(Kate's POV)

"Where he is? Where he is?", I said searching for Leon among the crowd of player, "Found him", I said as I spotted the only player standing idol in the field. I had to look through binoculars since the field was huge; I don't how they managed to get this field. The commentator announced that the ball was with the opposing team and that's when I saw him smile as he turned and all of sudden, I don't know what happened and where did he get that thing, it was almost like magic the way he stole the ball from the opposition that even the guy who was had the ball was stunned for the moment.

"Now who's standing still", Leon yelled so loud that I could hear him. It took time for other players to realize what had happened as Leon took the ball to the other side goal and kicked it but it was saved by goalie.

"He's a professional", I couldn't help but mutter, watching him play like that made me realize that he has some field experience, there was no way in the world he could do what he was doing now without having been done it before.

"Oohh… that must have hurt", Leslie commented as one of my cousins in attempt to steal ball from Leon slide by him tripping him over. He fell face forwards skidding a short distance and believe me my heart skipped a beat but he was smiling, he was having fun, he was happy, he was enjoying it all, he was loving it! I looked at him straight, not with binoculars anymore; I wanted to see this side of him for so long.

"You never told us he was really good at soccer", Jessica said.
"He never told me", I replied.
"So he tells you things then", she asked looking at me smiling.
"He never tells me anything", I told her, "We don't talk", I stated the obvious and she didn't ask me anything anymore. Among the twins she was more understanding of the situation, she was elder and very well understood many situations unlike her twin. Leslie was the brain behind their pranks and jokes, Jessica followed her lead whereas Jessica was the heart of their seriousness and sincerity towards the more practical things of life.

(Leon's POV)

"Only 15 minutes we haven't made a goal but hey we haven't let them made any", the teams Captain, one of Kate cousins Bradley, if I remember his name correctly said.
"I have a plan", I said smiling.
"On with it", one of the other guy said and I explained my plan.
"Everybody understood what they have to do", Bradley asked again and everybody yelled a unanimous Yes.

We pulled away from the group discussion and I noticed that the family that was watching us from up top was now down in the front rows and I noticed her. As she took a corner most seat, I thought she wasn't coming since her dad told me so but she was there I don't know from when but she was here. I don't know why but seeing her made me a little bit happy inside, maybe because she had her hair down which were giving her hard time staying down or maybe because I haven't seen her looking like this before, like some ordinary woman who had come to watch her husband play soccer.

"Hey you ready?", Bradley asked and I tore my eyes off her.
"Yes", I replied and the match began the strategy was simple they have to just pass the ball at me and I'll try to make a goal 'cause it was clear I was the only player reaching up to the opponents goal. With the final pass the ball was supposed to be in my possession but opposition offensive player in an attempt to get the ball elbowed me hard in the face and I fell on my back as I heard shouts, referee blowing his whistle and someone asking me if I was okay.

"Kennedy you alright?", it took me awhile to come back to my senses.
"My head hurts but I am fine, I'll continue the match", I told him as he helped me up and the first thing I saw standing up was Kate, among the audience, she had moved closer to field, was she concerned when I got hit?
"We got a penalty, only 7 minutes remaining", Bradley told me, "this is our only chance otherwise we lose", I just nodded.

I placed the ball and opposition readied their defense while my team players tried to get the best position to take the maximum advantage. I looked at the ball then at the goal and then stepped a few steps back and couldn't help but look at Kate, 'I'll make a straight goal if she was worried', I couldn't help but think as I ran forward and kicked the ball over the players head and it went straight for the goal, the goalie made his best attempt but he was slow and it was a GOAL!

With that we won the match and the family members rushed to hug their loved ones, "It was awesome", the twins chorused hugging me together before anyone else. Then came a series of handshakes and more hugs from team player and family members whose name I don't even know or remember.

Between all of this I stepped out the crowd in the open and there was Kate, our eyes met and she didn't make a move to come to me nor did I step towards her. I wanted to run and take her in my arms and my body was just aching from the thought that it's not gonna happen. I looked back at happy family, everyone was hugging each other happily, some were kissing, even the one who lost were getting a hug from their wives or girlfriends and maybe that's why I wanted Kate to make me feel I won, hold me, hug me and comfort me.

But we just stood there like always sharing the silence between us, staring at each other in that uncomfortable situation. I wanted her to read my mind, to ease my pain, get me out of this thing. Her eyes shifted a bit down to my arm, the one which was hurt badly and was bleeding a bit to which we didn't pay any attention since it was normal in Soccer to get hurt like this and I had seen worse playing for our High School soccer team, but the moment her gaze fell on it, I wanted to read her mind. She looked at the arm briefly and then looked at me in the eye and we both stepped towards each other with shaky steps.

(Kate's POV)

"You're hurt pretty badly", I said trying really hard to smile when I could almost imagine his pain.
"Who'd have thought I could get hurt this badly without being on a Mission", Leon tried to joke as well.
I took a deep breath, "Would you like me to patch that up for you?", I asked feeling that lump in my throat as I tried hard not to shed a tear since for some reason they wanted to get out.
He smiled, "Yes please", he responded as if he knew I was gonna ask him that.
"The kit's over there let's go", I said to him pointing where the medical supplies were kept. I turned to lead the way but Leon grabbed my hand stopping me and I turned to look at him.
He moved closer grabbing my arm now and when he was extremely close he whispered, "Let me hug you for a second, Please I beg you", the pain in his voice was clear.

Only a slight nod was enough for Leon as he pulled me in a tight hug, I don't know what made him ask that but his mere touch told me he needed it more than anything. His manly smell of his cologne mixed with sweat and dirt filled my nostrils. Then I felt him kiss my head as he said, "Thank You!"
"Say sorry", I said pulling away from him and he looked surprised, "For ruining my dress, my hair and…", I couldn't help as my gaze drifted to his hurt arm briefly.
"… and what?", he asked confused.
"… for smelling like a dog", I said looking up at him and he started smiling.
"Did you two just hug?", Leslie asked coming out of nowhere.
"Yeah", I replied, "Wanna see again", I only said and wrapped my arms around Leon, 'I know you still need this', I said mentally to him.

(Leon's POV)

'Thanks sweetheart', I thanked Kate mentally wrapping my arms around her, pulling her close, letting her warm soul heal my restless soul. One thing I couldn't understand however is that how she figures out stuff like these.
"First hug", Leslie said to Jessica and she wrote something in a memo pad.
"If you two didn't stop that I would really rip both of your head", Kate said to the twins pulling away from me and I felt as if something was ripped away from me.

After that we had a hot shower and its only then I realized that I had bruises all over my body. When we reached home Kate even though she scolded me and everything but she did patch me up at the field and tonight we were having the last meal at this place cause we were leaving for DC in exactly 6 hours. After six hours everything would change, we would be back to DC living the miserable life we both had there. No matter how much I say I hate pretending what I am not but these kinds of situation gives both us a break from the relationship we really have.

(Leon's POV)

"At last home sweet home", Kate said opening the front door.
"Speak for yourself, this place doesn't seem sweet to me", I said walking up the stairs. Kate didn't replied and followed me upstairs. It was early morning hours, so we changed to get to bed.

Just as I was about to lie down and close my eyes my phone buzzed, "Yes", I replied knowing it was Hunnigan.
"You back from that vacation", she asked sternly.
"Yes" I replied.
"Good report to work at 7:00 am exactly", she told me, "Ashley wants to go jogging with you."
"Great", I said sarcastically.
"Glad to hear that", Hunnigan said slyly and before she could, add anything I didn't want to hear I disconnected.
"Feel glad about that", I said frustrated trying hard not to throw my phone.

Kate was already in bed with her back towards me, trying to sleep. I switched off the lights and lied down to sleep wishing to see her face once before going to sleep, maybe then I wouldn't have any nightmares. I know she thinks I don't have nightmares daily but how I wished it was true, it was only really frightening ones that woke me up with a start the rest in which I die almost every time are just a part of my sleep. There were only a few dreams in which I didn't die… they were the most horrible, frightening dreams of my life and the more I try not to have them the more I have them.

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