A/N: I updated two chapters at once and this is the second one. I hope you didn't miss the previous one. The context in italics is Leon telling Kate about a past event; therefore all you(s) is her, since it's sort of all part of his dialogue, as well as flashback.

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

Chapter 47

(Kate's POV)

Once everyone left I began cleaning the after party mess. It was suppose to be a dinner with friends but it ended up being a party. It sure wasn't as eventful as Claire's birthday party but it was fun to get together with friends and family once in a while. Although there was some tension between Leon and Rivette but nothing really happened, since they didn't really crossed path much. Rivette chose to interact with my parents while Leon was with his friends and twins. I began with cleaning and tidying up the living room and ended up with washing the dishes in dishwasher.

"Need help?", Leon asked stepping in the kitchen.
"You're late for that, I am almost done", I said setting the cycle on dishwasher.
"Good for me", he said opening the fridge door as if he knew he had to say that and had just asked out of formality, "I was just asking out of formality anyways", he said pulling out a water bottle and I glared at him but he only smiled.
I rolled my eyes, "You dropped everyone home safely", I questioned drying my hands on a kitchen towel as I waited for the dishwasher to stop.
"Yeah, Redfield and John were heavy, especially when they are drunk", he replied wiping the sweat of his head and I couldn't help but smile.

Leon's phone buzzed and he took it out, as dishwasher stopped too, and began working while I set pots, pans, plates in their right places. I had just finished when Leon mumbled something, "What?", I asked him.
"What?", he asked confused looking up.
"You said something?", I asked back.
"No I was just cursing because they change my schedule on a whim", he told me as I moved to pick up the roses Rivette had brought, the flowers were beginning to wilt so I set them in a vase full of water, "You really love those flowers don't you?", Leon asked me and I looked at him.
"Yeah, they're pretty", I replied to him and he seemed a mix of disappointed, angry and jealous, "But I loved these more", I said setting the Red Orchids in another vase full of water, even though they were still fresh as they can be.

(Leon's POV)

"So you love having secret admirers", I asked Kate with a smile.
"No, they just creep me out", she replied, shaking her head.
"Well there's nothing wrong with this one, he just sends you flowers on your birthday", I said to her.
"Well but it be pretty creepy if it's a she", she said to me with a smile.
"Now that you say that, yeah it can be", I said giving it a thought looking at the flowers.
"Yeah so next time you can hand me the flowers face to face", she said and I turned to look at her smiling widely at me.
"What do you mean?", I asked her a bit confused.
"Thanks for the flowers, Leon", she thanked me and placed a kiss on my cheek.

"When did you figure it out?", I asked her surprised; I thought she'd never know that I was the one sending her bouquets anonymously.
"Since the first time I got it", she replied looking at the flowers admiringly.
"How?", I asked her again; I thought I did everything to cover my tracks. The way things were between us, I thought she'd never accept those flowers from me but I enjoyed seeing the delightful look of surprise on her face and couldn't really stop sending her flowers.
"Leon, I am an agent, if I can't figure out this much I don't deserve this job", she said in an obvious tone.
"Yes, but still I'd like to know", I asked her and she took a seat on the kitchen chair next to me, and we turned in our seats to face each other.

"Hmm… Let's see flowers were always delivered at my work place so it was someone from work", she told me.
"There are a lot of people at work", I said to her.
"Yeah but most of them got me flowers or cards or something and gladly told me what they got for me and those who didn't would still mention not getting me anything on varied accounts", she told me her deduction, "those left were mostly women."
"Still women might admire you", I couldn't help but commented.
"Please Leon can we not think on a creepy level and besides I didn't think on that much creepy level because I had this", she showed me the card.
"Well I didn't put my name on it", I said reading what I wrote.
"But you did put your handwriting there, the one that I see almost every day", she told me, "and those words 'Thought you'd like it', it was something you'd write."
"If you got it figured for that long why didn't you say anything before?", I asked her.
"I was hoping someday you'd tell me yourself or bring me flowers", she said to me sounding a bit disappointed, "Didn't know I would have to tell you myself."

(Kate's POV)

Leon's expression was pretty much blank; he again looked at the flowers that were at an arm's length. He withdrew a flower from the vase and cleared his throat and said, "Happy Birthday!", he held up the orchid for me.
I felt myself smile as I said, "Thank you!", taking the flower, "You're really sweet sometimes."
"That I am", he said with a proud smile.

"But there's one thing I always wondered", I said looking from the flower to him.
"What?", he asked me.
"How do you know that I love Orchids that too, Red Orchids", I asked him. I was sure that even my parents didn't know about it and twins were no exception either.
"You told me", he replied.
"I did?", I couldn't help but say because I couldn't remember if I ever mentioned it to him that I loved red orchids and he nodded, "When was it?"
"Long story!", he said remembering something and his lips curved up slightly in a smile.

"Tell me, when was it? We still have time to sleep", I pressed on it.
"You sure, you might not like the story", he asked me for confirmation, raising his brows in doubt.

(Leon's POV)

"Just tell me already", Kate said.
"Okay it was 4 years ago on Claire's Birthday…", I began the story.

I was with Chris and other men, talking over about something when Claire approached me and said, "Leon, you better come we've got a situation."
"Sure, what's the problem", I said moving with her.
She kept her silence for a bit possibly contemplating how to begin, "Well I guess we had some party crashers", she said in a tone of distress.
"Oh don't worry I'd get rid of them", I assured her, "and maybe your brother would scare them more."

"No you are getting it all wrong", Claire said shaking her head and giving me a serious look, "Listen to me and don't interrupt this time. We got some party crashers and they spiked Kate's drink. They took her upstairs to my bedroom when she was half conscious…", she began explaining and my heart kept sinking as we walked to get to her bedroom, "to get some alone time with her without any interruptions but I had some business in my room so Jill and I went upstairs and saw them when they were trying to get Kate into the room. We confronted them and they ran."

"So nothing happened?", I asked just to confirm.
"No I don't think so we got there before anything could happen", Claire said and I let out a sigh of relief as we entered her room where Jill was with you, "But she's totally wasted", Claire said looking at you.
"She looks normal to me", I said to her.
"Wait!", Claire said.
"The room is spinning make it stop!", you said in a weak tone.

"You better take her home", Jill said urgently to me and then turned to you, "Leon, will take you home alright."
You looked at me for a bit and then turned to Jill and asked, "Which one of them is taking me home?"
"Me", I said and pulled you up but you literally fell over me, "Stand straight!"
"It's hard when the room is spinning", you told me and I slapped my face.

"Take Chris's car", Jill suggested since we didn't own a car then.
"Thanks", I thanked her as I tried to hold you steady, "What kind of agent are you?"
"A US Secret Services agent", you replied innocently.
"She's somewhat cute", Jill said laughing at your answer.
"No doubt they spiked her drink", Claire said agreeing with her, "She's one of the hottest women here", and I gave her Is-this-the-time-to-talk-about-this look, "I'll get the car keys, you get her down stairs", she added seriously snapping back to situation at hand.

I somehow managed to walk you to the stairs, "We won't be able to make it downstairs at this rate", I said and lifted you up in my arms and descended down the stairs. I carried you all the way to Chris's car and Claire came in at the right time with the keys. I put you in the side seat, buckled your seat belt and got on the driver seat and just as I put the keys in ignition you yelled, "Oh my god, we are going to crash!", unbuckled the seat belt, opened the car door and got out, well more of fell out.

I cursed rounding off to you, "I don't think this is a good idea", I said to Jill and Claire, who had run to your aid.
"What do you mean?", Claire asked me.
"She's saying stupid stuff it might actually make me crash and...", I told to her pulling you up and tried to get you back in the car but you yelled no and resisted with all your strength, "she won't get in the car."
"Now what will you do?", Claire asked concerned.
"Well I'd walk with her, what else", I said to them being out of options.
"Are you sure?", Jill asked as I wrapped my arm around your waist to support you.
"Yeah it's a walking distance to our apartment", I said to her.

And so we began our long walk towards home and I could never forget it at all. You got all the attention from other people and I am sure they thought I was taking advantage of you, "Watch out for that", I warned you against a hole in the footpath but I knew that you were already incapable to avoid that so I lifted you off the ground to avoid that.
"Wow you're so strong!", you complimented me, impressed by my strength.
"I know I am strong", I replied and saw a policemen staring at us, "Hey you know me right?"
"Of course you are Leon", you replied innocently and I sighed in relief, "That pretty lady said to go with Leon", you added recollecting Jill's words.
"That's great!", I said sarcastically.

"Hey you stop there", the police man finally stopped us, "where are you taking that girl?"
"We went to a party she had a couple of more drinks and wouldn't get in a car, so I am walking her home", I explained it to him.
"Yeah right?!", the police man said sarcastically, "Ma'am you know this guy?"
"She's totally wasted, she possibly can't reply to your complicated questions", I said still trying to support you.
He held up a hand to make me stop talking, "Ma'am?", he looked down at you crossing his arms, "Is he your husband?"
You looked up at me and asked, "Are you?"
"Yes I am", I replied to both you and the officer, "look at these wedding rings", I held out both of our hands to him.
"I don't know about it, you have to come with me", he said, "until the girl sobers up or you get enough people to say she's your wife."
"C'mon lady", the officer grabbed your hand.
"Leave me!", you screamed jerking off his hand, "I am not leaving Leon!", you wrapped your arms around my upper torso. I somehow reached for my ID and showed it to the cop. I explained the situation to him in detail and he finally let us off and we resumed to head home..

"I am thirsty!", you demanded all of a sudden.
"Drink water when we get home", I said dryly.
"No", you said pushing me away and shook your head, "I want water now!"
"Great you can support yourself now", I said grabbing your hand, "let's go!"
"Water! Water! WATER!", you screamed like a kid.
"Where can I get you water now?", I asked you and you pointed to a pub. I couldn't take you inside the pub with me with your condition so I said; "Now look you stay right here, while I go get water."
"I want to come too", you insisted.
"No, stay here!", I said as a final verdict, "Don't move! Don't talk to strangers! Don't follow me! And again don't go anywhere until I come back, get it?" and you nodded. I walked backwards for a while keeping a close eye on you and then headed inside the pub. I walked to the bar and asked the bartender, "Hey can I get a bottle of water."

"Dude, you don't get water here", the bartender replied.
"Look I'd pay double, no triple just get me a bottle of water and quick, it's a life and death sort of situation", I said and he sighed walked away while I waited for him.
While I waited for him, 3 guys bumped into me, "Sorry man!", one of them apologized.
"It's fine", I said dismissively but they were already on their way out.
"Man, that chick was really fine, wasn't she?", one of them said.
"She was the finest I have ever seen", the other agreed as they exited.
"Here's your water", the bartender came back with a bottle of water and I paid him more than I promised, since my priority was to get back to you as soon as possible.

When I got out I found the guys I saw in the pub surrounding you and one of them saying, "C'mon don't you remember us back from the party, we are not strangers!"
"Is that the girl you were talking about, Simon", the other guy asked hungrily eyeing you from head to toe.
"The one and only, JD", the supposedly Simon replied.
"How she got here?", the third one said.
"Who cares, Max", Simon said, "C'mon missy, I still haven't shown you what I promised right."
"Leon, said not to move till he gets me water", you responded to the guy.
"You want water? Here have some", JD said giving you some beer.
"It's dirty, I don't want it", you said slapping his hand away and the other two laughed at him.
"Shut up!", he yelled to the other two, "C'mon I'll give you clean water", he said to you in a sweet tone.
"No, Leon said not to move", you said pretty firmly.
"C'mon you bitch", he grabbed your hand tried to pull you along.

"Hey", I stopped him by grabbing his hand, "Let her go!"
"Who are you?", JD asked me furiously not letting go off your hand.
And before I could answer Simon spoke up, "Woah dude relax! We can share her. My apartment's just over there. We can have all the fun we want and she won't even know who we were, once she gets back to her senses."
"That's my wife you talking about, you bastard", I said furiously and punched him in the face. The other two attacked me too but of course I was faster than them so I punched JD who was in front of me and elbowed Max who was behind me and they all fell to the ground writhing in pain, "Amateurs."
"You are so cool!", you said clapping for me.
"Here's your water", I said handing you the bottle.

We walked a few distance and I watched you struggle with the sealed bottle for at least 10 minutes, "It's… not… opening", you complained, "and I am tired!", you flopped on roadside bench.
"C'mon we have to get home", I said trying to pull you off the bench.
"No we've been walking for so long, I am tired and I am thirsty", you said trying to open the bottle and I sat beside you.
"Give it to me", I said taking the bottle, tearing the plastic seal, uncapping it and handing it back to you.
"You're great!", you said impressed. I smiled seeing you drink water; you looked so content as if you had everything you wanted. We rested there a bit and you tugged on my jacket, "look I am leaking", you showed me your wrist, which was bleeding a bit.

"That bastard hurt you", I couldn't help but say getting my handkerchief, "Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Why are you yelling at me?", you asked me timidly, "aah... it hurts!", you said as I tied my handkerchief over the cut.
"Don't you dare untie that?", I warned you as you tried to untie it.
"Please", you requested with teary eyes.
"No! the infection would cause you to lose your hand", I tried my luck at exaggeration to keep you from touching that handkerchief and it worked, "Now let's go home, we rested enough."
"Okay", you said sadly looking at your bandaged hand.
"C'mon", I gave you my hand and you took it.

We again began our journey towards home with you telling me random stuff and asking for random stuff, and as we were crossing a flower shop you let go of my hand and stopped dead in tracks, "What now?!", I almost whined.
"They have red orchids", you pointed to the flowers in display, "get me red orchids!"
"It's closed, see", I told you pointing to the closed sign.
"I want it", you said stubbornly and picked a boulder that I may add you barely managed to lift.
"Hey, hey! Stop it!", I said stopping you as you tried to break the display glass, "you'd get hurt!", I said taking that boulder away, "And do you want that policeman to take you away?"
"No, I want to stay with you", you replied, wrapping your arms around me again.
"Ah really?!", I asked almost in a reflex.

"Yes you're cool", you told me looking up at me. You pulled away from me and looked back the display to those flowers with longing eyes, "Nobody gets me Red Orchids, I love Red Orchids. All I get is red roses…", you spoke very seriously your face against the display window, "Leon, get me Red Orchids for my birthday", you looked at me hopefully as you made that request. All this time you were just commanding me of what you wanted but this time it was genuine request.

"Sure, I'll get a bunch of them for you", I said and you jumped with joy and hugged me.
"My birthday is next month on 19th", you told me happily pulling away from the hug.
"On 19th, got it!", I repeated making a mental note, "Let's go home now."

All the way to home you kept reminding me about your birthday and kept confirming that I am getting you those flowers. Every time I confirmed it you'd get really happy and smile like that was best thing in the world, "We are here", I told you as we reached our apartment building and you clung to my arm. We entered the elevator and it shook a bit and your grip tightened on my arm, "Don't worry it's fine", I assured you about the elevator.

"I… am… I… don't… no", you said making no sense and your grip loosened on my arm and you began falling but I supported you again wrapping an arm around your waist.
"Hey", I called out to you concerned.
But you kissed me really passionately, "Thank you!", these were your last words before you passed out.

The elevator doors parted and I lifted you up in my arms, and carried you to our apartment. It was pretty hard unlocking the door and not to mention Shadow running around my feet as I carried you to our bedroom. I put you on the bed, removed your sandals, pulled blanket over you and tucked you in, and I got up by your side to move away, when you grabbed my hand, "Leon!", you called out in your sleep. I stood there hoping you'd tell me about your birthday and ask for confirmation for those orchids but you didn't say anything. I bent down and kissed your hand when you mumbled, "Stay!", and I got in blanket with you and held you close and you too moved close to be in my arms.

"…so this is what happened", I told her pulling myself away from the memories from that night, "the next day you woke up, you didn't remember a thing, just that we went to Claire's birthday party. All other things were wiped clean."
"Why didn't you mention it before?", Kate asked me, her expressions were unreadable.
"I thought it might be embarrassing for you", I told her shrugging.
"It sure hell is very embarrassing", she said and two tears streamed down her face and she wiped it herself, "but I was missing one of the best nights of my life. I mean for a change I could make things difficult for you", she smiled as more tears streamed down her face.
"Yeah it was very difficult for me to handle you that night", I agreed with her.
"Is that the reason you are so troublesome", she asked jokingly as we both got off our high stools.
"Maybe", I replied trying to maintain that air of suspense as we closed the distance between us.

Our movements were so synchronized as if we had practiced this at least a thousand times. We moved together and we bumped our heads together. I had moved to kiss her whereas she had moved to hug me, we were not really that synchronized. We laughed as we rubbed our heads and then I pulled her in my arms hugging her tight and she raised herself on her toes to kiss my cheek. As I stood there with Kate in my arms, I wondered if it was necessary to be in sync to work a relationship out.

A/N: Thanks for reading. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I apologize for any grammatical mistakes and typos.