A/N: I'd like to thank all my reader for their patience with this story and my reviewers Lancelot-Albion, Shirahane Aikawa and Mercenary Nemesis, keeping me motivated to keep writing.

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

Chapter 23

(Leon's POV)

"Consider yourself lucky, that you weren't infected", Rebecca said properly dressing the arm, "One thing for sure Kate could have been a good Doctor."
"Hey Leon", Claire came bursting in with John and Redfields, "David told us you went to the facility."
"How was it? Did you find anything?", Jill asked curiously.
"They got this", Rebecca said showing them the sample.
"Wow that's great", Chris yelled happily, "But what is it?"
"It's a virus/cure sample, can't say anything until I test it", Rebecca told them washing her hands.
"They got the sample, that's really great", Jill said happily looking at Chris
"Let me hold it once", John said moving to take the sample, "Our first sample after so many years."

"John", everybody said in unison.
"How did you get it", John asked curiously.
"Kate, she withdrew it out of some vault, I guess. I was looking out for any survivors", I told them.
"She went with you", Claire asked concerned and I nodded, "Oh my god", she gasped.
"Relax she's been with him many times", John told Claire.
"Really?", Rebecca asked and everybody looked at her but I knew why she was shocked, "I mean we've all been through it many times and yet we get cold feet whenever we're required to go, the legs won't move and the heart beats tenfold. I still have nightmares sometimes."

"Me too", Claire said agreeing with her, "I woke up screaming the other day", she added casually joking.
"I couldn't forget that stench of blood and rotten flesh", Chris said sounding a little sick.
"Yeah I still get the creeps whenever I remember those times", John agreed seriously.
"But Kate she seemed as if, it's nothing to her, she has seen that every day of her growing life. Is she that much cold", Rebecca said sounding a little thoughtful.
"Yeah I thought that too you I know, it's almost like she haven't seen anything", John said.
"Because she hasn't", I said keeping my voice down.

"What are you saying?", Chris said confused.
"How many missions she has done with you regarding this virus", Jill asked.
"This was the seventh", I replied.
"Seventh?!", they all chorused in astonishment.
"You've been to 7 facilities and not once she has seen those monsters", Jill commented.

"It's because I never let her see those monsters", I yelled out of frustration, "Every time I take the lead, choose the path where there would be no dead bodies, monsters or anything. Take her to the security room where its less likely to have a massacre, make her lock all the doors and seal all the routes trapping the beasts where they are and then running back to base pretending as if nothing happened."

"Leon you are really something", Claire said a bit impressed.
"Kate is really lucky girl to have a husband like you", Jill said wiping her tears.
"And I thought you hated her", John said smiling lighting up the mood.

(Leon's POV)

"Leon you can have your lunch with me", Ashley said to me. It had been a month since my last outdoor mission and all I did was tag along a certain Blonde everywhere she went.
"I know but I like going to this restaurant, it's been kinda my habit", I lied to her, I mean I can't tell her the reason I go out to eat, is that I want to have my lunch peacefully, "I'll meet you after lunch and then we can do whatever you've scheduled."
"Okay", she yelled happily and I hurried away.

I sighed out of relief, this one hour at work that I spent without Ashley is the best time I have at work. Usually I head out alone to eat while other times if I am at Agency I usually go with John, sometimes women offer me to have lunch with them but I never entertain them, and honestly its because I don't want Kate to find me with them, although I know it doesn't matter to her that I have an affair but it matters to me. The time she saw me with Miller, I really wanted to be buried to the neck in the ground at that moment, 'I wonder how she felt seeing me with Miller', I thought making a turn and I bumped into someone.

"Can't you watch where you're going", Kate said irritated cause it was her I bumped into, "Wait just don't answer that", she said bending down to pick the papers, "the last thing I want to have is an argument for lunch", she muttered as I bent down to help her.
"What are you doing here?", I asked her picking up the papers.
"I was here to check on you", she said counting the papers. I usually would have taken it as a sarcastic comment but I noticed her bite her tongue as if she let it slip accidentally.
"If I am having an affair or not", I said giving her the papers I picked.
"As if I care", she said giving me a I-don't-care look as we both stood up, "Anyways before our conversation, I don't know any other word for it, turns into an argument I'd like to tell you that Saunders sent me to drop off these papers to the President."
"I think he has a personal secretary for that", I said recollecting.
"Who's on leave today unfortunately", Kate added after my sentence as I walked by her side to Hunnigan office almost involuntary.
"So you're the replacement?", I asked.
"You can say that", she said rolling her eyes before she slipped inside President's office.

(Kate's POV)

The first thing I saw getting out of the President's office was Leon leaning against one of the pillars as if he was waiting for me but I ignored that because it was not possibly true. He walked to me, "You needed something?", I asked before he could say anything.

"Wanna have lunch with me?", he offered smiling, "My treat."
"You've lunch?!", I asked a bit surprised and confused too.
"Yeah like everybody else", he said in an obvious tone.
"Look I have no problem but my lunch break extends one hour", I told him.
"So as mine", he said confused himself.

"Really?!", I asked him doubtfully and he nodded, "I thought it would be 15 minutes tops."
"In that much short time I would reach the Restaurant", Leon said as we started walking.
"You eat at a restaurant, doesn't Ashley treat you here", I asked him, it was a day of surprises for me but I was happy that at least he had the brains to have lunch.
"Well she asks every time but I prefer eating at peaceful place after all I am habituated to have breakfast and dinner peacefully", he said as we reached near the car. And it wasn't quite clear from his tone if it was a comment or compliment.

Leon electronically unlocked the car doors, "Where's Shadow?", I couldn't help but ask.
"He must be with his trainer", Leon told me and just then Shadow came running barking while his trainer was yelling for him to stop, "Maybe not", Leon added as I patted Shadow once he settled down. Like master like dog always giving people a heart attack.
"Sorry Kennedy, he just ran away", a man said between the pants too busy to notice me.
"No problem, I am just taking him for lunch", Leon said to the trainer.
"Okay", he said panting and I unlocked the door for Shadow and he jumped in and Leon drove us to the nearby Restaurant.

"Can I ask you one thing?", I asked Leon stroking Shadow.
"Yeah", he said keeping his eyes on the road.
"Can you arrange things so that I can take Shadow home with me everyday", I asked him and Shadow barked.
"Yeah I'll tell his trainer that you'll be taking him back everyday", he replied.
"What you'd say to him?", I don't know why but I asked him.
"I'll tell him that my wife will be taking my dog every day, I mean the day he works", Leon said looking at me briefly.
"So where do I have go to get Shadow?", I asked him.
"Just get to White House", he replied smiling.
"I didn't get you", I asked since I really didn't get him.
"Shadow will find you if you step in the White House, he will be there in a short time", Leon replied still smiling making a turn, "Also I'll pass on your number to his trainer, so you'd let him know before you take Shadow home."
"Can't you just talk with going round in circles", I said smiling at him as he smiled too but I have to admit Shadow always found me as if he had some sixth sense telling him where I was, it always made me wonder if he could do the same with Leon too or is it only me.

(Leon's POV)

We walked in the Restaurant and ordered ourselves lunch. Just when I was thinking how to start a conversation, Kate's phone rang and she picked it up with the first ring, "Hello?", she waited for the caller to speak, "I can't come now, I'll deal with it once I am done with my lunch", she said to the caller and then again gave him/her the time to speak, "It's my lunch break I am having lunch right now", she said a bit irritated and waited a bit, closed her eyes, sighed and said, "I am sorry. What I mean was I'll have my lunch as soon as possible and then deal with the issue", she spoke in the phone really sad about something and then disconnected.

The waiter got our orders and we began eating in silence. I cleared my throat and asked, "Who was it?"
"Saunders", she replied rubbing her head, "I have 15 minutes tops to get back to Agency", she told me and she seemed tired all of a sudden.
"I… I can deal with him", I said to her.
"I know", she replied, "but I don't want you to…"
"Why?", I asked and she looked up, "You are a top class Agent not his assistant to run his errands like this."
"I wanna keep this job", she replied getting back to her plate, "He has the power to pull me off." Before I could say anything she stood up saying, "Thanks for the lunch, it was nice to know that you have lunches", she smiled and left.

I finished my lunch and it took me longer than usual to finish it, paid for it and headed back to work with Shadow. I spent next hours with Ashley but today it all seemed harder than usual, everything Ashley was saying was ticking me off usually I don't pay attention but today it was getting unbearable so I decided to head home a lot earlier than my usual time i.e. 8:00 pm. I didn't bother with getting Shadow since Kate said she would be getting him and she gets home by 7:00pm. So I just took my car and got out of the White house.

My mind was set on home but I saw a familiar figure walking alone in the dark heading in the same direction. I rubbed my eyes and strained them a bit to confirm that I wasn't dreaming but my dog trotting at heels confirmed my doubt about the person being my wife. I drove to by her side and pushed the break and she looked at me, "Get inside I haven't got all night", I said to her.

"You head on your way, I can go home by myself", she replied dryly and walked away without waiting for a reply.

(Kate's POV)

I only walked a few distance when again Leon stopped by my side, "I am going home, so get in", he said and it took me time to register. I looked at my watch, "Its 8:00 and I am going home, now will you get in?", he said frustrated.

I got in the car and I looked at Leon he seemed normal and then again I looked at my watch it must be at least 10:00 for him to be heading home, "Is there someone coming to meet you tonight?", I asked thinking maybe he's going home early to meet someone.
"No", he replied coldly.
"Did you forget something?", I asked again thinking, maybe he forgot something and is going home to get it.
"No", he replied yet again coldly, well I can't blame him, he 'talks' that way.
"You sick or something?", I asked him.
"Yeah", he replied, "I am sick…"

(Leon's POV)

Even before I completed my sentence Kate's hand touched my head to feel my temperature, "Your temperature is normal", she said concerned and that lifted my mood a bit.
"Let me complete my sentence first", I said smiling, "I was saying I am sick of you worrying about me."
"What! Keep dreaming", she said offended and looked out but there was a little smile on her face.

Kate withdrew from looking outside her window and took out her scheduler, it was almost beginning of month, this means she would be planning chores for me and herself keeping in mind any birthdays or anniversaries. She began scribbling on her scheduler, "Like always you have to pay bills", she said as we stopped at a signal, "Please don't forget this time."
"I don't remember those things between all the work", I replied to her as the signal turned green again and I drove again.
"Then try to work less", she said scribbling more things on the scheduler, "Try to balance home and work like I do."
"I have to take care of Ashley at work, then I have to pay electricity bill, phone bills, newspaper bills, cooking gas bills and if something goes wrong in the house, I have the responsibility. Your job is easy, my job is tough."
"So you wanna switch?", Kate said raising her brows.
"You mean you'll do my part of house work and I'll take care of your part of work", I asked.
"Uh huh…", she said nodding.

(Kate's POV)

"I am not an idiot", Leon said, "You just stick to your work young lady."
"What did you say!?", I asked surprised, something was definitely wrong with him. Last time he was like that, it was before we got married.
"Don't try to act stupid", he said smiling leading the conversation, "You want to switch to easier tasks."
"But didn't you say my job was easy", I asked raising my brow and his smile widened.
"It was just a comment", he said, "it doesn't mean I'd switch to cooking, cleaning and whatever stuff you women do. I hardly remember to pay bills, you think I'll remember what to do to keep a house in check", he took a dramatic pause, "NO. So you do your work because even if I forget I am good with paying bills."
Leon, he totally left me speechless there, "Interesting I never knew you think that way about me… I mean my work", I remarked.
"Don't get on the seventh cloud or something, its only one time", he told me smiling parking the car in the driveway. We both got out and headed inside our home and I couldn't remember a ride in this car when we talked and didn't argue.

(Leon's POV)

It was a rare thing that I got home and we were all alone, the last time I came early and we were alone it was… well it was long time back. I usually show up early if Kate's dad asked me to bring the twins to our place otherwise I worked at least until 11:00. I watched Kate heading upstairs and I walked to couch to watch some news.

"You should at least get out of your work clothes", Kate commented as she entered the living room to move to the kitchen but the phone rang and she answered it, "Yeah sure", these were her last words before she disconnected. Then she headed for the kitchen and I headed upstairs. I didn't admit it but Kate has a point I should change into home clothes. I decided to have a shower and I was glad to know that Kate turned on the geyser otherwise I had to wait for the water to get heated up.

I headed downstairs to watch TV again but there was someone at the door, so I opened it up and was surprised to see Redfields but they were more surprised to see me, "Pinch me bro but I think I am seeing Leon", Claire said to Chris.
"Strange, I am seeing him too", Chris said goggle eyed.
Jill pinched both of them hard that they screamed, "You are seeing him because he's here and that means we are late", Jill said getting in and both of them followed.

"You guys came so early", Kate said moving to meet Redfields.
"Its 10:00 we're late", Jill said to her.
"It's only 9:00, Leon came back really early tonight", she cleared all my and Redfields doubts, "Get seated I'll just get the plates for you guys."

Apparently the Redfields, were having dinner together after a really long time when it occurred to Claire that Kate always has her dinner alone, so they called and asked if they could have dinner together at our place and Kate said yes and they came to have dinner here.

"It was really a treat to have dinner with Leon", Claire said, "God it's been so long since I last saw you, it's already a month right?"
"Yeah", I replied, I never got to see them frequently.
"Don't work this much hard bro, you should get home early", Chris said.
"I have nothing to do when I am at home", I told him the truth. I did nothing when I was home, either I watched TV, planned my next day at work or slept. The Redfields looked at each other.
"Just get home before your wife does and she'll tell you loads of work to do", Chris joked and we all laughed but though it might be true to all the husbands it didn't apply to me in the fakest sense. Kate never asked me for any favor.

We laughed and joked about different things till it was a bit late in the night and then we said Goodbye to Redfields and headed upstairs to sleep. Kate faced away from me and I faced her back and for some reason closed the gap between us by a little. I wanted to ask her something but I don't know what it was and thinking about that put me to sleep.

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