A/N: I am extremely grateful to all the readers and reviewer, Shirahane Aikawa for leaving her review. Thanks a lot for always encouraging me to write, even though the story is dragging on for a while now. I hope you are ready for a couple of birthday arcs and bear with it.

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

Chapter 43

(Kate's POV)

"Happy Birthday!", I wished Claire with a warm hug, as she opened the door to let me and Shadow in, "this is for you", I handed her the present I got for her.
"Thank you!", she said happily and searched for something outside.
"Expecting someone?!", I asked her confused.
"Where's your husband?", she asked me a little bewildered.
"He's busy at work as always", I told her and her happy face turned into a sad one, "He might show up later though", I tried to cheer her up, "He told me to go on ahead and that if he gets free earlier he'd be here."
"I am not letting you go unless he shows up", Claire said with determination in her voice, holding on to my arm tight.
"Are you sure? Knowing him, he'd probably be like keep her she's a pest anyway", I tried to mock his monotonous voice.
"Well you are wrong here", Claire said, "He'd more be like let me have my wife…", she mocked his tone too.
"I'd die without having an argument with her", I continued her sentence and we both broke out laughing as we entered the living area, where all the guests were, and we got a bit attention making an entry like that, "Wow what a crowd!", I couldn't help but exclaim. They were mostly people from BSAA and Terrasave it seemed. There were a few people I was acquainted with others I didn't know at all.

"Ooh as expected you got all the attention", Claire said and I looked at her. I was feeling a little uncomfortable in the crowd, sure I could blend in easily being an agent but I really wasn't fond of crowds.
"What?", I asked looking at her.
"The guys", she replied with a smile and I noticed guys were kind checking me out but soon enough it was back to normal, "Enjoy the party!", Claire said and she left me on my own, so she could attend other guests.

I tried to search for the familiar faces but it seemed Leon's friends weren't here yet. Chris seemed busy with his work buddies. Claire was running back and forth welcoming guests. Jill was talking to a woman and seemed somewhat bored; then in midway between rolling her eyes she spotted me. She smiled and waved at me, and excused herself from the other woman's company. Jill hurriedly walked to me as the woman stared at her and then at me.

"Hey Kate, when did you arrive?", Jill asked moving to hug me.
"Just now", I told her with a smile, glad that I had someone's company now.
"I was hoping someone from our people arrive", Jill said and I couldn't help but look at the woman, who Jill was talking to earlier, because she kept looking at us, even when there were a few guys that were trying to talk to her, "I am sorry but we had to invite her, we were inviting everyone at work. We really didn't want to but we had no choice. I hope you understand", Jill told me when she noticed this.

"I don't really understand", I said confused, looking at Jill and ignoring the woman's gaze.
"Well I know it's inexcusable but…", she was saying.
"What are you talking about?", I asked her super confused.
"She doesn't know anything", Claire said joining us and she had John and Rachel with her.
"What?! She doesn't?", Jill looked at me in shock.
"No", Claire said shaking her head.
"What are you guys talking about?", I asked again looking from one face to another in utter puzzlement.
"Nah nothing not important", Jill said and gulped down her drink, "I need one more", and with that she left.
I looked at Claire, "Someone's at the door", she said and excused herself too.

"What…", I began.
"Come on let's enjoy the party", John said and dragged both Rachel and me with him. Very soon enough we were joined with more of our friends and the place didn't feel too much uncomfortable anymore. We talked, discussed work, caught up with each other and of course there was John's jokes, "I really wish Leon was here", John said really loudly after some time, "this party could be better with him."
"I agree", Claire said sadly.
"Yeah my humor is almost nothing without him", John said.

Then there was sound of someone clearing their throat, "Excuse me!", it was from behind me so I turned thinking I was being addressed, "Would you like to dance with me?", a guy asked me.
And even before I could reply Shadow started barking at him and he stepped back in fear, "I am really sorry I don't feel like it", I turned him down.
"I feel like dancing", Rachel said to John.
"Yeah go ahead, you don't have to ask me", John said to her dismissively.
"Come on", she dragged him with her.
"This is not fair!", he yelled out dramatically and left us laughing.
"He's such a clown", Jill said between the laughs.
"More so when Leon is around", Claire said.
"Yeah kind put up a two man act", Rebecca said.

"Hey Jill!", Chris yelled over the crowd.
"Yeah?", she yelled back.
"Come over here for a bit", he called her.
"I'd be back in few", Jill said and moved to be with Chris, who seemed to be introducing her to some other guests.

A little later Jill came back only to call Rebecca, apparently someone had too much drinks, "Come on let's sit over there?", Claire said pointing to the couch which was unoccupied since most people were either dancing or at bar or stuffing themselves up. We went and settled on the comfortable couch, "My legs were hurting running around and standing for so long", she complained.
"I can understand", I said to her as Shadow settled near my feet.
"He hasn't left your side for a bit", Claire said pretty amazed by that.
"Yeah he's always like that", I told her stroking Shadow's head, "And I am glad, he's staying put and not causing terror among your guests."
"Well he freaked out some of the males that asked you to dance", Claire said with a laugh and she gasped in realization, "Hey! Do you think Leon trained him to do that to keep you safe from other people?" And before I could answer her question Shadow barked wagging his tail happily, "Is that a yes?", Claire asked me.
"I am not sure", I looked at Shadow in shock, 'Did Leon really trained Shadow?!', I couldn't help but think as I patted Shadow.
"I have to get this call", Claire said as her phone started to ring. I gave her a nod and she left too.

And I was back to square one again or so as I thought, just as Claire left a woman approached me, "Mind if I sit here", she asked me and I shook my head. It was the same woman Jill was talking to before, up close she was really pretty, "So you must be from Terrasave?", she questioned.
I shook my head, "No", I replied.
"Haven't seen you around in BSAA", she said pretty much in shock, Jill did say she works with them.
"No I am… well actually my husband is a very good friend of Claire", I told her.
"Oh I see", she said sipping her drink and it seemed she was contemplating something. I looked at Shadow he seemed really angry and I was already holding his collar.
"Calm down", I said to him.

"Don't mind me but I kind of overheard your conversations", the woman said and it looked like the thing she wanted to talk about was this only, "And it seems you know Leon?"
"Leon?", I repeated after her and when I thought hard I remembered I had seen her before with Leon, of course at that Café, 'Didn't he say he was getting rid of her?', I couldn't help but think.
"Leon S. Kennedy", she said trying to make me remember, "You guys were talking about him back there", she pointed to the spot where we were a few minutes ago, "Do you know him?"
"Yes", I replied to her.
"Oh that's great!", she said suddenly filled with energy and joy, "So does he have a girlfriend?"
"No but…", I began.
"I knew it!", she said happily, "he said so himself."
"He did?", I asked her shocked.

"Yeah, apparently his other friends are sort of avoiding me when I ask them about him but I know he's interested in me. Why would he kiss me otherwise?", she spoke really fast and very excitedly.
"He what?!", I asked her, it felt as if I was in a totally different space and time with only this woman.
"Yeah it's unbelievable right; that he kissed me and that too underwater? It's about a year old incident but it's still fresh in my mind like that fresh water", she told me, "But thanks, you helped me a lot", she moved to hug me but Shadow barked at her really loudly and she backed off, "Anyways do you know if he's coming to this party?", she asked touching up her make-up but Shadow kept barking at her.
"Quite down boy", I stopped him once I was out of the shock, "I don't know", I answered her shaking my head a little.
"Oh okay, thanks", she looked at me, faked a smile and then gave Shadow a look of disgust then looked at me with those same eyes, "Please excuse me, I need a refill", with that she left, it was quite obvious that she wanted to know about Leon.

At first I thought she was one of the women who have a strong crush on him and it was nothing unusual of them accidentally approaching me to ask me about him because Leon and I didn't appear to be like a couple in the vaguest sense, "Did he really kiss her?", I muttered and Shadow whined, "It's just a incident from a year back, maybe he did", I said to him and Shadow shook his head and barked, as if defending him.

"Hey sorry for taking so long", Claire said joining me back, "What was she doing here?", she asked me jerking her head towards the woman who was talking with me a moment ago.
"Asking me about Leon", I told her.
"Huh, I can't believe her", Claire said amazed looking at her, "And did she say why she was asking about him?"
"Apparently he kissed her and now she loves him", I was playing the tape of that conversation in my head.
"I don't believe her and you shouldn't either", Claire tried to convince me of Leon's innocence, "I was there when he met her and I didn't see anything like that and as far as I know she's the one who asked him out on diving and I told you before about it. It's that Angela Miller."
"Under water kiss and diving, makes sense now", I said doing the math.
"Kate, you know Leon better than that", Claire said to me, "And you were the one who said he wouldn't cheat on you."
"Well I have to think this through", I told her standing up, "And I need to use the washroom."
"Kate…", she tried to come up with something.
"Don't worry about it Claire, things can't get worse", I assured her with a slight smile; "I really need to wash my face."
"Yeah, down the hall, first room to right", she pointed in the direction.

I headed in the said direction with Shadow following me silently. I couldn't help but think if I believed what I said to Claire or did I believe Miller more. Leon couldn't have kissed her but why would she say something like that on a whim, there must have been some story behind it and Leon didn't tell me about it, 'Like he'd tell you about an extra-marital affair', my inner reason voiced its concern. Something really seemed out of place, Leon wasn't the kind to do such stuff hiding in the shadows, he did tell me about the other two times he met her. I felt a bit restless about all of it, as if I was really missing something out. I splashed some water on my face and it did make me feel better. I dried my face and touched up my make-up a little, when Shadow began dancing at my feet, "What?", I asked him smiling and he wanted me to follow him, so I did and he led me back to living area.

Leon had joined the party and was receiving a rather warm welcome from none other than Angela Miller. I froze at the spot as she hugged him tight, Shadow started barking at her. Leon spotted me and at once he pushed her away. I felt hot blood rushing to my face as I felt myself boil in fury. I don't know if I was more annoyed at Miller for hugging my husband or at Leon for not pushing her away immediately but only after he spotted me in the crowd. And to add more fuel to my anger, and as if the hug wasn't enough, Angela kissed Leon's cheek and followed Leon's gaze looking at me.

(Leon's POV)

I saw Kate giving me a death glare and then she was pulled away by Claire, "Leon, I…", Miller began but I pushed her away. I had to clear things out with Kate but I didn't see where she went because Miller jumped in front of me.
"Where did she go?", I muttered and then there was a bark, and I looked down at Shadow, "What are you waiting for, lead me to her", I commanded him in an urgent tone.
"Leon!", I heard Miller call out my name but I didn't have time to deal with her at the moment.

Shadow lead me to a room, Kate was pacing up and down and Claire was saying something to her, "Leon!", Miller had caught up to me and held my arm, which got the attention of both the women and they looked at me, and Kate looked highly infuriated. Her eyes traveled from my face to Angela's and she really gave me a death glare.
"Kate", I said pulling Angela's hands off my arm.
"I'd leave you two alone", Claire began to move.
"No, you stay!", Kate said to her so angrily that she sat back down quietly, seemingly terrified.

"Kate, I can explain", I said to her.
"You better have pretty damn good explanation Leon Scott Kennedy!", she said to me furiously and I had never seen her this much furious.
"Uh Oh", I looked back to see John and others had joined us, "They are pretty mad when they use your middle name", he whispered to me and I felt an imaginary sword hanging up on my head.
"She jumped on me out of nowhere and hugged me. I didn't know how to react and then there was you and then she kissed me before I could recover from the shock", I tried to explain what happened but Kate didn't seem convinced, "This is what really happened!", I looked at others for support.
"Yeah", they all said sooner or later nodding and agreeing with me, and I felt cold sweat on my head.

"But you were the one who kissed me when we dived then", Angela almost yelled out and looked from me to Kate.
My eyes didn't leave Kate's face for a moment I tried not to blink, "Kate, it's not like what you think it is", I said to her feeling miserable all of the same.
"So you did kiss her?!", Kate said her face suddenly lost all color and turned a little pale but it wasn't expressing shock, it was something different.
"Are you jealous?", I almost blurted out and her eyes grew wide.
"No, I am not!", she denied it straight away, her face filled with blood once again.
"So you shouldn't be having problem if she hugs me or kisses me", I said to her with a smile and looked at Miller, she had a smug smile too.
"Leon, what are you saying?", Claire asked me nervously in a hushed voice.
"Well I am just saying the practical thing, if she's not jealous then she shouldn't mind me kissing her", I tried to push the right button with this.
"Yeah right! You might as well jump in her bed!", Kate said furiously.
"Oh thanks, I wasn't sure if I was allowed to do that", I said smiling, knowing my trick worked and then something hit me really hard on the side of my head and I blanked out for a bit, "Oww…", a reflexive cry of pain escaped my lips as my hand raised to nurse the affected area.

"Are you okay?", it was Kate who was asking me this, since everybody else was pretty much frozen at their spot, including Angela.
"No, that really hurt", I told her as she rubbed my head.
"You were supposed to dodge that", she said to me regretfully, "I really didn't mean to hurt you."
"Why throw your phone at me in the first place then?", I couldn't help but reason.
"You kissed her and now you want to sleep with her, how am I suppose to react?", she said getting furious again as if she remembered why she was furious at me.

"It was a CPR, for god's sake", I said to her.
"Oh so it was a CPR", Kate said pretty casually.
"You're saying as if you didn't figure it out", I said smiling to her.
"Well I didn't know which exaggerated truth it was", she told me with a slight smile.
"So that's why the act?", I couldn't help but ask.
"ACT!", almost everyone screamed except Angela, who just looked a little pale and extremely shocked.
"You kissed me", she said to me, "He did kiss me", she said to Kate.

(Kate's POV)

"It was just a CPR!", Leon repeated once again and I could feel his frustration rising. Although he figured out my act midway but he was pretty much frustrated in the beginning and not to mention he might have been tired and stressed because of work as well.
"Leon...", I tried to calm him down but before I could say anything more than his name he sealed my lips with a kiss.
"This is a kiss", he said looking at me. Angela didn't say anything but just shot immense amount of death glares at me and then stomped away angrily.
"Isn't this the end you wanted, sweetheart?", Leon said with a smile which made me blush and look away, "Show's over guys!", he called out to his friends.

"You guys should be actors", John said clapping recovering from the trance earlier than anyone else.
"Yeah, you really got me scared there", Claire said sighing out of relief.
"Yeah I thought Kennedy's dead for sure", Chris said letting out a nervous laugh.
"When did you figure out she was acting?", Jill asked Leon, "and how?"
I looked at him, I was curious to know that too, "Well on the kiss part she lost her form for a bit", he replied giving me a smile.
"Oh that part was the peak of your act and the way she threw her phone and you took the hit", Chris said.
"That wasn't an act", I told him, "He got me really mad then and oh my phone", I bent down and picked up what was left of it.
"Are you more worried about your phone or me?", Leon asked, "for your information it still hurts."
"I am sorry!", I apologized but I can't never be apologetic enough for that. It was something I did out of blind fury, since his comment was something I found highly revolting.
"Huh, what a birthday that was", Claire said sighing, "well all's well that ends well. Let's go back and enjoy the party."

We all walked back to the living area where the party was going on and apparently no one noticed that anything happened or their hosts were missing. Miller had left the party without making any further scene. With everything settled everyone went back to the way it was before, dancing, drinking, stuffing themselves up. Leon, Claire and I were back to the couch chatting about stuff, well it was only me and Claire having the chat; Leon only responded if Claire asked him anything. I looked at him, he looked a little drained.

"Hey am I being the third wheel here?", Claire said noticing I was looking at Leon.
"No", I replied to her, "I was just thinking he needs to eat something. You had lunch?", I asked him. He shook his head, "I'll get a plate for you", I excused myself to get him some dinner, "You really need to do this for yourself", I said giving him the plate, after some time, and he started eating.
"I didn't feel like it", he replied in a monotone.
"I know", I said shaking my head in disbelief as I took a seat by Claire's side.

We again engaged in a conversation while Leon had his dinner. Once he was finished John dragged Leon away with him. Jill joined us but she was called again by Chris. The party, though it got very late, was still very much crowded, probably it being a weekend. Many people had left but some people arrived later than Leon, "Leon should ask you to dance", Claire said all of a sudden.
"Its fine I don't want to", I told her.
"Well I haven't seen you two dancing anytime", Claire said trying to remember and just then her phone rang, "Guess someone's again calling to wish me, excuse me for a while."
"Sure", I said and stood up to get myself a soft drink but when I returned, John and Leon were occupying our seats and Rachel was trying to pull John off the couch.
"Babe I am too tired to dance now", he complained.
"Last dance, please", she requested.
"Alright but this better be last", he said and they headed to dance again.

"She looks pretty energetic now", Leon said as I took a seat next to him.
"Yeah they've been dancing all night", I told him sipping my drink, "but then again she's a dancer, so I guess it can't be helped."
"Hmm", he hummed in reply. He still looked pale, it was clear that he was really tired.
"Are you okay?", I asked him, "You're not running a fever are you?", I touched his forehead and it was normal.
"I am just tired", he told me yawning.
"Let's go home then", I said setting my half finished drink on the side table.
"I feel too tired to even drive", he replied resting his head on the back of the couch.
"I'll drive, give me the keys", I told him standing up stretching my hand for the keys.
But instead of handing me the keys be pulled me back on the couch, "Let's sit down for a bit."
"It's probably in your jacket", I said reaching for the jacket which was resting on the arm of the couch, "Got them, let's go!", I said retrieving the keys.

(Kate's POV)

"Sorry Kate, took so long", Claire said getting back, "I got de...toured…", she stopped abruptly in her tracks, spotting the situation, "What have we here? I mean who?"
"Leon", I replied not meeting her eye, feeling a little embarrassed about it.
"Is he sleeping?", she asked me confused.
"Yes", I replied and I knew I was blushing
"Hey Kate you have to see this", I heard John say from behind.
"I can't come", I told him.
"Why, come on it's fun and where's Leon?", he asked me.
"She can't John, she's occupied and Leon's right here", Claire said stifling a laugh.

"Where?", John said, "Oh…", and he too tried not to laugh, "How it happened?"
"I got the keys to drive home since he was tired but he fell asleep and I can't move him", I told them, hoping that I was not blushing noticeably.
"Just like that?", John said confused and I replied with a nod.
"So how long he's been using you as a pillow?", Claire asked me.
"For 20 minutes maybe", I replied.
"And he's sleeping in this loud music", Claire said surprised, "Are you sure he's asleep and not faking?"
"Yes", I replied looking down at him, he had covered his face with his jacket and I couldn't really see it but I was sure he was asleep, "He must have been really tired to fall asleep like this."
"Let him be then", Claire said and just then he stirred pulled his jacket off his face and sat up, "Oh so you were sleeping."

"I am tired", Leon replied with a poker face.
"Doesn't look like it though", John said doubtfully.
"Since when were you good at reading faces", Leon said monotonously yet a bit rudely that everyone was taken aback.
"He's not a morning person", I told them the truth, explaining his sudden hostile behavior.
"My sides ache", he complained.

"What do you expect? You were sleeping with your holster on", I couldn't help but say and offered him a glass of water, no one could probably tell but I was pretty much sure he had some sort of nightmare, "Come on let's go home", I said to him as he drank water.
"Yeah let's go", he said standing up.
"See you guys later then", I said grabbing my things, "Good night!"
"Good Night!", John and Claire said with a big smile plastered on their face.

Leon searched for the keys in his jacket, "Oh I have the keys", I told him, "Do you want me to drive? You look pretty exhausted."
"No I'll drive", he said taking the keys from me and offered me his jacket, "You look cold."
"Won't you be cold?", I asked him doubtfully not taking his jacket. He shook his head and pushed the jacket in my hands.

We both got in the car and headed for home. Claire's birthdays were always amazing, much like any other Redfield party, but this time it got downright adventurous. I experienced so many emotions in a single night, all because of this man sitting by my side. I turned to look at his tired poker face and he too looked at me briefly. He smiled weakly yet genuinely and complimented me, even though it was a little late for that, and I couldn't help but be a little flustered. We talked all the way home as if nothing happened between us.

A/N: Thanks for reading and I hope you liked it. I apologize for any mistakes or typos in the context that caused an inconvenience.