A/N: I am grateful to all the readers for their support and encouragement. This chapter is kind of made up of somewhat disconnected scenes, hinting about future events more or less, so I hope you don't mind this filler chapter.

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

Chapter 44

(Kate's POV)

"Hey Kate", I looked up from my report to find Rivette standing with a cup of coffee, by my desk.
"Hey Dan", I responded and got back to my work.
"How are you doing today?", he asked really concerned and not casually, "that guy's treating you well?"
"Yeah he is", I replied remembering the little things Leon does for me, "Why you ask?"
"Well I tried calling you last night, your cell phone came off and you didn't get your home phone", he told me, "I was a bit worried and so I showed up at your place but no one was home either, so I really got worried."

"It was Claire's birthday yesterday we went there", I told him, "and my cell phone broke."
"Claire's?", he questioned.
"She's really a good friend of Leon", I told him.
"Friend?", Rivette said and let out a laugh, "Must be an ex-girlfriend."
"Friend", I said putting a weight in my voice, "Very good… actually Best Friend of Leon!"

"You seem really busy", He said to me casually in attempts to change topics.
"Yeah Saunders been breathing fire about this one", I told him trying to not to get mad at him.
"I might be wrong but I think he just wants one reason or other to talk to you or get your attention", Rivette commented with a laugh.
"Oh I am sure about that", I muttered under my breath.
"You said something?", he asked me and I shook my head, "Saunders seems pretty much interested in you, not that it's a bad thing I mean I am interested in you too and who in their right mind wouldn't", he was saying. I shook my head; he was really pathetic when it came to flirting, "I don't know why in the hell you'd get married to Leon?"
"Because she loves him of course", John replied from my side as he took a seat on his desk.
"Here comes your husband's lawyer", Rivette said rolling his eyes, "Hey John!", he greeted him unenthusiastically.
"You two talk I am going to turn this report in", I said to them.
"Going to Saunders' cabin?", John asked me.
"Yeah", I replied collecting my papers.

"Let me come with you", John said and we both walked up to Saunders' cabin, "You seem a bit angry?"
"Well I don't want to be bitchy but Rivette really pisses me off with all his bad mouthing about Leon", I told John the truth feeling I needed a vent.
"Don't worry about it, Leon doesn't mind such stuff", John said casually.
"Yeah I guess you're right but it be pretty much easier for me if I don't have to hear Rivette's rant about how bad Leon is", I told John, "I mean I know, I am his wife and I know all about his bad habits, you can't surprise me with anything."
"Yeah I see what you're trying to say", John said and laughed, "You feeling insecure about Rivette, huh?", he joked letting out a chuckle.
"If he was a woman, I might have and thank god Leon's not gay", I said with a laugh myself.
"Leon did say you have great sense of humor", John said laughing at my joke.
"Now that's a surprise that he talks about me", I said as I knocked on Saunders cabin.
"Come in..", Saunders yelled from the other side.
"He talks about you all the time but I'd tell you about it later", John said in hushed up voice as we entered Saunders' cabin.

(Kate's POV)

I stepped out of the elevator and walked to the street to get a taxi. Unlike everyday John couldn't bring me home, since he was sent out to perform his duty. I walked a little further to get to the area where I could easily get a cab but a car came and stopped right in front of me, "Hey Kate, going home?", Rivette asked lowering the window
"Yes", I kept my reply brief.
"Let me drop you home, it's in the way", he said with a cheerful and friendly smile.
"No its fine, I'll manage", I declined his offer shaking my head in negative.
"Are you still mad about what I said in the morning?", he asked me, "I am sorry for that."
"That's fine Dan", I said not holding any grudges against him.
"Then hop in let me drop you home otherwise I'd think you didn't forgive me", he said with a smile and knew that I was trapped now.

"I have to pick Shadow from White House and it's in the opposite direction so I can't bother you with that", I told him in hopes of avoiding it and it wasn't a lie either, I did have to get Shadow.
"Well I'd take you to White House, you can get the dog and then I'll drop you home. It's no bother, it's a blessing in disguise since I'd get to spend more time with you", he said putting up a smile that he might have thought looked charming.
"I am really not sure, Shadow doesn't like you", I again tried to decline his offer politely.
"I believe in you that you wouldn't let anything happen to me", he said, "Come on get in quick", he pressed on. I reluctantly moved to get in his car and as I pulled open his side door there was car horn and I looked in the direction and saw Leon's car and Shadow jumped out of the car window to get to me.
"Looks like my ride is here", I told Rivette closing the car door.
"Yeah I see that", he said eyeing Shadow hatefully, "See you tomorrow then."
"Yeah", I said to him as Shadow raised himself on his hind legs to get my attention and I patted his head, and then walked towards Leon's car.

I opened the car door and let Shadow in first and then got in myself, "Hey princess!", Leon greeted me with a handsome smile.
"You got off early?", I asked him as he started the car to head towards home.
"Yep, Ashley had no more stuff she wanted to do", he replied.
"Well if you were coming to get me, you should have called", I said to him, "I almost left for home with Rivette."
"Well I did try to call you", he replied, "but then the bump on the side of my head reminded me that you don't have a phone anymore."
"There's no bump on your head and I told you I am really sorry about that", I apologized to him again, "And how about you make a stop at some electronic store so I can get a new cell phone."

"Only on one condition", Leon said with a smile.
"What?", I asked him confused.
"I'd take you there, if you promise not to throw it on to me next time", he said with a smile.
"It's really getting old now", I said disinterested.
"So promise me?", he asked pulling up a serious expression.
"Okay whatever!", I said irritated and he laughed a bit.
"I'd take that as a yes", he said and I gave him a really bored look. After that our conversation switched to more trivial stuff, and then we got a cell phone and then finally headed home.

(Leon's POV)

I called Kate and waited to hear the ring of her phone but all I heard was a recorded message telling me that her phone was busy and that I can either wait for her to take the call or call later. I decided to call her later thinking she might be talking to either my parents or hers. I was about to disconnect when I heard her voice, "Hello?", she said from the other end. I really liked listening to her voice, "Hello, Leon? Are you there?"
"Yes, I am", I told her with a dry throat, since I hadn't talked for a while unless you count listening to Hunnigan's orders talking.
"You sound tired", she said concerned from the other end.
"I called to tell you, not to make dinner for me, I have had my dinner", I told her leaning against one of the pillars of White House and ignoring what she said.
"Leon, I prepare dinner around 7:00 PM, or 8:00 PM at the latest and its 11:00 PM now", she said to me slowly, "It's no point if you call me now."
"I forgot and besides I was too busy then", I told her the truth.
"I know", she said very understandably, "Okay listen dinner is refrigerator; well I'll be leaving a note as usual..."
"Kate, I have had my dinner", I repeated cutting her in between.
"I know, I am saying in case you're hungry if you get back", she said kind of sweetly.
"I'd be so tired when I get back that I'd probably crash on the couch or maybe on porch", I told her and she laughed wholeheartedly at the other end.
"Well its better than you crashing your car midway home", she said and it made me laugh a bit.

"So what did mom say?", I asked her, I just wanted to talk to her more.
"Mom?", she repeated confused, "Neither of our moms called today."
"Who were you talking to before me?", I asked her carrying on the conversation.
"Oh that, it was Dan", she replied casually.
"Dan, who? Your boyfriend?", I asked her jokingly.
"Do you know Mr. Kennedy that Dan, short for Daniel, is Rivette's first name?", she asked me and that made me almost slip and fall backwards.
"I forgot", I said not hiding the annoyance in my tone and she laughed once again, "Next time he calls you this late, tell him calling other people's wife this late is not right!"
"You tell him yourself", she said from the other side.
"Why did he call?", I asked her feeling a bit restless.
"He was asking me if I know any good late night restaurants", she replied, "so I told him what he wanted to know, and then you called so I got off the call with him to talk to you."
"I see", I felt a little better listening to that.

"So, when are you getting back home?", Kate asked me changing the subjects.
"As of now, I have no idea", I told her letting out a sigh.
"What's taking you so long?", she asked me.
"Are you feeling lonely, sweetheart!", I tried to flirt with her.
"Maybe", she said playing along.
"I wish I could ditch work and be with you", I told her pretty much seriously and heard someone calling my name, "that's…", I looked back to confirm and signaled them that I'll be there in few, "that's my call, I have to go."
"Okay", she said, "try not to be too late."
"I'll try", I said to her. I didn't want our conversation to end, all of a sudden I felt more tired, "catch you later", I said and she hummed and I disconnected.

"Kennedy!", someone again yelled and I started to move to the place where I should be.

(Kate's POV)

I looked at my phone, it was really weird, our conversation was pretty much like a couple just now and it was often on phone that we behaved more like a couple than in person. Plus we didn't have too many phone conversations that often either unlike normal couples. It was once in a while thing now that I thought about it. I never called him on accounts of him being busy and he only called when…. I drew up a blank whenever he called it was mostly for meaningless reasons and he talked a lot on different random topics than the thing he actually called me for. It was almost as if he just wanted to listen to my voice.

"He didn't sound well", I couldn't help but mutter looking at my phone. I sighed and headed upstairs to get ready for sleep.

(Leon's POV)

I unlocked the door and literally dragged my feet upstairs when I felt like collapsing then and there. I was reminded of Kate's joke and a little laugh escaped my lips as I almost sleep-walked towards the bedroom. I pushed open the door and to my extreme surprise spotted Kate still up; she was reading one of her novels in the light of bedside lamps. She lifted her head to look at me as I entered the bedroom and my imagination must have been running really wild, since she appeared so much wife-ish to me.

"You took so long", Kate said with a sigh as I sat at the end of bed and removed my shoes, "Look at the time its past 1:00 AM!", she added looking at the clock.
"Were you waiting for me?", I asked her, I know she probably wasn't.
"Of course, this novel is not so interesting that I'd waste like 2 hours on this", she told me being straight forward.
"You didn't have to, I told you I'd be late", I said and looked back at her adding, "Besides I am always late, isn't it?"
"That's no reason to come home late everyday", she said to me and moved close to me and checked my temperature. I felt like pulling her in a hug but I resisted the urge, since I knew she wasn't that comfortable with me that she'd allow something like that on such a normal situation like this.

"You get to sleep now", I told her rising up from bed, "I'd just take a shower and join you in a while."
"Okay, I hope you don't pass out in the shower", she said jokingly and it again made me smile.
"I'd try not to", I said with a slight smile getting my clothes, "However, you're welcome to join me to make sure", I added closing the wardrobe door.
"Leon!", she called out my name warningly turning a hundred shades of red and I let out a chuckle, as I headed inside the bathroom.

I took a shower and joined her on bed to have a peaceful night sleep. I scooted as close to her as possible and closed my eyes. I felt a weight shift and opened my eyes just to find Kate had closed the distance between us. I didn't know if she was awake or asleep. It wasn't the same as when I held her to sleep but it wasn't as bad as being miles apart, on the extreme ends of the same bed. I closed my eyes once again and sleep wasn't hard to get since I was already super tired.

(Kate's POV)

My phone buzzed and I took the call at the first ring, "Hello", and all I could hear was Shadow's bark, "I can't hear a thing. Hello? Leon!?"
"Sorry, I don't know why he's so excited", Leon said on the other end.
"Are you bringing him home?", I asked him.
"Him and you too", he told me and it seemed he was struggling with Shadow a bit, "Get ready I'd be there in 10 minutes", he said to me.
"Uh Leon, actually", I looked sideways at Rivette, who was driving me home, "Rivette's driving me home", I told him in an almost regretful tone.
"Oh I see", he said in an emotionless tone, " How long would it take you?"
"10-15 minutes", I replied to him.
"So see you when you get home", he said speaking objectively.
"Yeah", I said to him and disconnected.

I couldn't help but think about how I got into this situation. Like usual John was about to drop me home but Rivette asked me if he could drop me home instead, both John and I denied on accounts of it being a bother to him. But as he had said before, it was more of a pleasure for him and since the last time I bailed out on him, he was too stubborn to let me off this time and in the end I had to agree with him for just this once. It had been few weeks since he had bad mouthed Leon and we have been getting along well, professionally speaking, but I still felt uncomfortable as I rode home with him.

"Are you alright?", Rivette asked me, "Did he get mad at you or something?"
"No, he wanted to pick me up but since I am already headed home so I told him otherwise", I told him the truth.
"It's a coincidence that last time when I was taking you home, he was there to get you and today too", Rivette said with a smile.
"Yeah", I said internally wishing if Leon had called me a little earlier than I wouldn't have to go through this.
"But this time I got lucky", he looked at me and gave me a smile of victory.

"Can you drive a bit faster", I requested of him, he was going too slow for some reason, maybe because he wanted to spent more time with me but I wanted to be back home as soon as possible.
"Sure", he said but he didn't raise the speed considerably, "How come he's always at home, he works from home or what? I never see him coming to work; its only you and I'd like to bring you to work every day if you'll allow me."
"No, you don't have to bother. Leon drops me to work every day before he heads to White House, he's stationed there most of the time. He uses his office only to get paper work done which he does when he's free from his work at the White House", I answered his question and cleared his doubts.

"Oh I see, so he is pretty important as the word goes", Rivette said, maybe enviously.
"I don't know about that but if you ask me personally, he is very professional when it comes to it", I told him, remembering all the time I spend on field with Leon.
"But you know who's famous more than him?", Rivette asked me with a grin plastered on his face.
"No", I replied.
"It's you", he replied and I was taken aback a bit, "especially among men. Do you know everyone really want to date you and I am no different."
"We are here", I said in relief as we finally entered my residential area, since I wasn't really enjoying Rivette's company or the direction he was taking the conversation.
"Ah yeah, I didn't notice how time passed", he replied, "It really is true when they say time passes quickly when you are having a good time."

I didn't know how to respond to that, my eyes were glued to my home and as we drew near the scene made me smile straight from my heart. Leon had already reached home and he was sitting on the porch steps waiting for me. Rivette made a stop in front of the house and I exited his car saying, "Thanks!"
"No problem, my pleasure", he smiled widely, "See you tomorrow at work."
"Yeah", I said, gave him a slight smile out of social courtesy and he drove off.

I turned and walked to Leon who hadn't moved a bit from his spot and was holding Shadow down. Leon stood up letting Shadow go as I approached them and Shadow welcomed me, "You took long enough", Leon said and I didn't know if he was complaining.
"Not everyone is a crazy driver as you", I told him, "So you forgot the keys?", I asked him searching for the keys in my handbag.
"I was waiting for you", he replied seriously and I looked up at him in plain astonishment, I didn't expect him to actually admit that.
"Why? You don't trust me?", I asked him finally getting my keys.
"I don't trust him", he looked at the disappearing Rivette's car, "especially when it concerns you", he added throwing a protective arm around me.

"I know you don't like him…", I began looking up at him.
"Like him?", he looked at me and let out a laugh, "I hate him."
"Okay!", I said and corrected myself, "I know you hate him but he tries hard to be friends with me."
"And that what bothers me the most", Leon admitted. There was something about Rivette, that made Leon speak his mind very clearly.
"So what, you want me to stay away from him?", I asked him unlocking the door.
"You already know my feelings on that", he said as we moved up the stairs.

"So how come you are home early?", I asked him changing topics as we entered our bedroom.
"My sixth sense was tingling", Leon replied sitting on the bed as I moved to get my clothes.
"Oh really?!", I said taking out my clothes as he worked on his shoes.
"Yeah, felt something wasn't right and I need to be home", he replied taking his shoes off.
"Ever had that feeling before?", I asked him closing the cupboard.
"Yeah sometimes", he replied thinking over it.
"But it was fluke today wasn't it?", I said moving to the bathroom.

"Not really", he said and I stopped and looked back at him, and hoped he'd say more but he didn't. I stood there waiting for him to continue as he removed his jacket and holster, "You want me to join you?", he asked me with flirty smile.
"No", I said and stepped inside the bathroom, closing the door behind me.
"I hope someday you'd accidentally say yes", he yelled from the other side.
"Never!", I yelled back and for a brief moment I felt my heart sped up.

(Leon's POV)

I couldn't help but curse inwardly as I jotted down the report that was pending. The President himself wanted this to be done and I got off early because I promised Hunnigan that I'd work on some of my pending reports at home but I just hated paper work. Just then my phone rang and I almost lunged for it, since it was an excuse that would make me stop working on this, "Kennedy", I answered.

"Hey Kennedy, long time", I recognized the voice as Redfield's.
"Been busy", I replied relaxing on the chair.
"Kate's alright?", he asked me.
"Yeah, she's fine. How's Red and Jill", I asked him.
"They are doing great too", he replied, "anyways the thing I called about was, I needed your expertise about something."
"What is it?", I asked him, his voice gave me a red signal.
"Well our Africa's Division's Intel got a few pictures and I am not sure but it seems like the plaga carriers", Chris told me speaking in an urgent tone, "and plaga related mutations. I just wanted you to confirm it."
"Yeah mail the pictures over to me and I'd have a look at them right now", I told him getting the seriousness of the situation.
"I'd mail it to you right away", he said and with that he disconnected.

I turned on my laptop since the matter I discussed with Chris was more important than the stupid report I was working on. I logged on to my mail account and impatiently waited for Chris's mail and within a few minutes it was there. There was a couple of pictures of people with pale skin, some with something like a plaga sticking out of their head but it was all a bit different than what I had experienced and seen. It was different and still it was same on some levels, was it a different type of plaga or a different strain of virus or another parasite or something completely different from any of our imaginations.

"Here's your coffee!", I heard Kate's voice and looked up. She was standing just by my side, I was too busy and intrigued by the pictures that I didn't notice her, "Is that a person?", she asked noticing a carrier, "he looks so weird, so pale", she commented and I flipped my laptop close in desperate attempts to hide it from her and she looked at me, "Are you alright?", she asked concerned.
"I am fine", I told her, "My coffee?"

"Here", Kate handed me the coffee, "Are you working?"
"What else one does in their study?", I more of commented getting back to my report, hoping she won't ask me about the pictures.
"No need to snap at me", she said.
"I am sorry, paper work gets me irritated", I told her scribbling my report.
"I know", she again said understandably and I looked up at her from my report as she moved around tidying my desk, dusting stuff and I felt this warm feeling originating from my heart, "What?", she asked noticing me noticing her.

"Have you ever felt a feeling that can't be described?", I asked her taking a sip of the hot beverage.
She kept my files down with an audible thud and moved by my side, "Are you feeling alright?", she asked me concerned.
"I don't know", I told her honestly, with a shrug.
"Maybe you should set paper work aside for a while", she suggested.
"I am already done with it", I told her, it was almost finished when I got Chris's call.

"That's it, since you are not use to sitting around like that it's odd to you", Kate pointed out, "Anyways I don't have time for this, I have tons of housework to be done", and with that she began to move out.
"And I thought women were good at this… feelings stuff", I commented after her.
"Leon, your feelings are not what one would consider normal", she said exiting the room.
"What's that suppose to mean?", I yelled after her.
"Go figure!", she yelled back.
"Women!", I couldn't help but say with a smile, getting back to my other pending reports.

I worked on the reports for a considerable time and when I was completely sure that Kate won't be making a sudden entry again I opened my laptop again to check out the pictures that Chris sent me. I didn't let my guard down this time though and kept my senses perked up to pick Kate's presence at a moment's notice. I checked out all the pictures and supporting reports from the African Division of the BSAA before calling back Chris and expressing my views on the matter. Once I was done with the call I made sure to delete it, since if Kate decides it she can easily hack into my mail and get the information she needs but this is the one part of my life that I want to keep to myself and away from Kate, if it's the last thing I do.

A/N: Thanks for taking out time to read and I hope you liked the chapter. I apologize for any mistakes and typos that caused inconvenience to understand the context. See you all next week!