A/N: I am grateful to all the readers for showing all the love and support to this story. Thanks a lot for being so patient and always encouraging me to write. This is the final chapter I hope you all enjoy it and that I was able to close a story properly. Lastly, I would like to thank GrayFox786, Adela and hodhod2011danger for their reviews.

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

Chapter 58

(Kate's POV)

I was helping dad arrange his study to keep myself distracted from worrying about Leon. I wasn't expecting him to show up last night, let alone him telling me he was missing me and asking me to come back home. I was really happy to see him after so long and more than happy when he asked me come back home with him. I really wanted to go home with him but I didn't in the end. I could stop myself from going back to him but I couldn't stop myself from thinking about him, especially when I know that he wasn't doing that good. I just couldn't stop worrying about that guy, not after I have seen him closely for last five years.

I let out a sigh pulling a chain on my thoughts about Leon and kept dad's file on his desk with an audible thud. He looked back at me and smiled, "You can take a break you know", he said resuming the sorting his files.
"It's fine I am used to it, Leon's a mess", I said with the flow and it made me freeze for a bit.
"It seems you enjoy his company", Dad said with a smile continuing to rearrange his files and not looking up at me.
"Hmm… I do", I agreed with a slight smile.
"So why are you being so stubborn?", he asked looking at me piercingly and I looked at him, "You should have gone home with him last night."

"And then come back here after another such incident", I couldn't help but say, "It hurts a lot when he pushes me away, when he doesn't want to talk about his past. I've tried not to notice it but it bothers him so much, so why do you expect me to be not bothered about it? He wants to tell me but still he won't and that's been eating him away for past five years, and I can't see him like this anymore. I don't want to think this way but when he doesn't tell me, it makes me wonder if I am trusted or not or if I am not that important", I told him as tears welled up in my eyes at the rush of all those bottled up emotions.

"So what you want to split after four and a half years of marriage?!", Dad questioned looking at me seriously, as I lifted his files of the desk.
"No!", I snapped at him, dropping the files at that revolting thought and he laughed at me, "I am sorry, I'll get them", I apologized for both raising my voice against my father and dropping his important files. It was more than obvious that he was joking but he caught me off guard.
"It's alright", he said casually as I bent down to collect the files and papers that fell off them, "but you should stop punishing him and yourself. It's clear that you need him and he needs you too."

I couldn't contest it because it was the truth, being away from Leon was more than a punishment. But I didn't want us to end this way again and if possible I wanted us to resume where we left off, and I knew if we didn't sort this out once and for all, it would always be there sitting around the corner to undo the progress that we made.

I again sighed bending down to pick up the last file that fell face down and a picture fell off it, and I picked it up to only find, it was Leon's. I turned up the file. It was dated October 1st, 1998. It seemed like a witness statement from Leon, dad was the interrogating officer along with another senior agent, who seemed to have retired. I read through the report and if I didn't know better I would have called Leon crazy. I had just read a few lines of it when Liza came into the room.

"Dad I am sorry but I have to borrow Kate now", Liza told Dad with a smile.
"Sure no problem we're almost done", he said and took the file from me, "I'd set it don't worry", he smiled at me.
"But…", I began I haven't read all of it yet.
"No buts, you promised you'd go with us yesterday and it be good change of air for you c'mon", she said and dragged me with her, "Go change my friend would be here any moment, just hurry up", she literally pushed me into my room.

I sighed, I did promise her and the file wasn't going anywhere. I could read it in my leisure and possibly ask Dad to tell me about it too. So I decided to go with my sisters and spend some time shopping. It took me longer than usual to get ready since the content of that files were still floating in my head and when Liza's friend arrived I wasn't done with my hair, but they said I was looking fine with my hair down and just pulled me away as it is, for the shopping. Our first stop was a jewelry store.

"This place, are you sure this is fine?", Liza's friend said checking out the jewelry store.
"It's not that big but it's really good. Mine and my sister's wedding rings come from here", Liza said showing her ring to her and her friend didn't look that impressed with her ring, "C'mon show her yours too", Liza said pulling my hand in front of her and I saw her eyes sparkled at my ring.
"It looks expensive", she said eyeing me, possibly wondering how my husband was.
"It's not that much", I said trying to hide it from her, suddenly becoming conscious of it.

Liza and her friend got busy with choosing and trying out jewelry and I just watched the displays, "How may I help you?", I looked back to find the aged owner.
"Oh nothing, I was just looking", I told him with a weak smile.
"Your husband's not with you today?", He asked me and I was a bit shocked and he read it on my face, "I am old but my memory is great. And I can never forget your husband who bought that ring."
"You've been mistaken it's….", I tried to tell him.
"It's not a fake dear, I am a jeweler so I can tell", he smiled at me kindly, "I remember giving it to your husband, some 4 and half years ago and that too on Valentine's day."
"Are you sure?", I asked him doubtfully.

"Yes", He gave me nod of affirmation, "Isn't he called Leon Scott Kennedy?", I was more than surprised to know that the owner knew Leon personally. Possibly my puzzled look spoke for itself and the owner continued his explanation, "He would visit the shop everyday just to make sure the ring was still there. I still remember his confident words when I asked him why he comes every single day, he said, 'I promised Kate that I'd buy that ring for her and I would but for that I have to make sure you don't sell it.' To be honest I was really impressed by his sincerity and turned everyone down who wanted to buy that ring. By the way you're Kate, right? I hope he wasn't talking about another woman and got married to another."

"He really bought it", I said it more to myself than to the owner, feeling an intense rush of emotions once again, and not answering his question.
"He sure did!", the owner confirmed it once more, "You're Kate right?", he asked once again.
"Yes, I am!", I gave him a nod as tears once again welled up in my eyes, "and Thank you!"
"It's nothing, I can see that you love him like he loves you, so I am glad that this ring belongs to someone as beautiful as you", he said smiling widely at me.
"Thank you once again!", I couldn't help but say feeling grateful, "But I'd like to take your leave now."
"Yeah sure", he nodded with a smile, "keep visiting, it's good to see couples like you", he added and I gave him a nod.

I hurried out of the store, with Shadow following closely behind me, and got myself a taxi. I let Shadow in and then got in myself and told the cab driver to head to White House. I didn't even know if Leon was there but my heart was telling me that I'd find him there only. All throughout the way I couldn't help but think when and how I got this original ring, instead of the fake. I never took it off, except the time when it accidentally slipped off my finger in that Café and it was Leon who got it back.

"I can't find a thing", his voice rang in my head.

I was so stupid, why did I even think he searched and got it back? He was the worse person when it came to finding things. He probably gave me the original in place of that fake one and I never noticed. He bought the ring for me and already gave it to me without even me noticing. I knew he loved me but I never imagined he loved me this much.

Leon S. Kennedy, the idiot I fell for and got married to, was nothing short of a surprise bag. He made me laugh, he made me cry, made me pull my hair in frustration, made me blush a hundred shades of red, made me sick with worrying after him, protected me every time and made me feel so much more in this relationship we called marriage. It was everything I wanted it to be and much more than that, it was far above an average happy married life.

"We're here", the cab driver told me and I paid him the fare.
"Thanks", I said as I got out with Shadow.
I looked at the White House and walked to the gates, "What are you doing here?", the guards at the gates asked.
"I just want to meet Leon S. Kennedy, he works here", I told them.
"We don't know that and you can't go in", they told me with a flirty smirk. I was here but I knew getting an entry was tough, especially when I didn't have my ID. Even if I had my ID, I didn't have the authorization to enter the White House. I don't know how I am going to see Leon now.

(Leon's POV)

I yawned as I exited the main gates of the White House. I had a bad case of hang over in the morning and still I had to work, my body was at its limit because I hadn't slept properly for 4 days now. If only Kate had agreed to come home with me things wouldn't have to be this way, her presence alone would have worked wonders for me. I wished I knew what to do to get her back without telling her my association with the Raccoon city incident and the likes. But I just couldn't explain Ada without touching the past that I've been hiding from her.

I sighed and once again wished for Kate to be here, and as if my wish was granted instantaneously I spotted her sitting on the side of the road. I couldn't help but rub my eyes, since I thought I was dreaming with my eyes open but I was not because she stood up seeing me and Shadow was with her too. I stopped my car next to her. My heart started pounding in my chest with a mix of feelings as I rounded off to face her.

"You waiting for me?", I asked her taking her features in detail.
"Yes", Kate replied looking searchingly in my eyes.
"For how long?", I asked her.
"About an hour", she replied stepping close to me.
"Should have come inside", I said to her taking a step closer too.
"They won't allow me, I don't have my ID or authorization", she told me with a slight shake of her head.
"Could have send Shadow then", I said looking down at him. He seemed much more happier now than I had seen him in past days when he was living with me and Kate was away.
"His paws are still pretty bad. I am cold but I am not heartless", she said with a slight smile.
"Well you could have called me", I said, she did call me telling me about Shadow.
"I did", she replied, "Your phone came dead."
I checked for my phone, it sure was off and I couldn't help but slap my head, "I am sorry", I apologized, "It must be something really important that you came here."

"It is", Kate said nodding, "I came to know about the ring", she showed me her wedding ring, "You bought it before the wedding on Valentine's?"
"I did", I said in confirmation.
"But you never actually gave it to me", she said and her eyes welled up with tears.
"I gave it to you", I said in an obvious tone, "How'd you come to possess it otherwise?"
"You just switched it, it's not same as giving", she said shaking her head; "Was it so hard to say, 'Kate I got it for you'? You know I was waiting."

(Kate's POV)

"Well first I did put it on your finger, so I did give it to you. Second, yes it is hard to say something like that and third, you know I can't find anything what made you think I'd be able to find it", Leon spoke slowly and very clearly.
"I was very happy when you got the ring, I didn't think about all this stuff then", I told him.
"And just now you thought about it?", he asked me raising his brows with a slight smile.
"I didn't, that owner of jewelry store was very impressed by you and he told me that awful elaborate tale of you getting the ring for me", I told him, not knowing if I should cry or smile.
"I just said that I'd buy that ring at any cost since I promised you", he told me and I flung my arms around him.

"Thank you!", I said hugging him tight.
"I missed this", Leon said as he wrapped his arms around me too. We stood there in silence hugging each other, "I really meant everything I said last night", he spoke after some time.
"I know", I told him feeling safe and comfortable in his arms.
"Still you didn't come with me?", he asked in a tone of surprise.
"It's not like I didn't want to", I told him, "but it hurts when you don't want to tell me things and push me away."

Leon's body tensed up and his grip tightened on me, "Believe me sweetheart, it's better if you don't know", he said to me.
"Is it something related to Raccoon city?", I asked him pulling away, and his shocked and horrified expression told me it was indeed what he was hiding or something related to it, "Is Ada part of that past?"
"How did you know?", he asked me puzzled with a very grave expression on his face.
"I read your witness statement in one of my dad's old files", I told him and he looked at me with concern, "but I just read a part of it", I smiled hoping he'd smile too but he didn't, "Why are you bothered about it so much? Did you think I won't believe you or something?"

(Leon's POV)

"It's not that", I told her sighing, "I just didn't want to involve you in all of this and definitely don't want you to lead the kind of life I am living."
"But I could help you right, if I know", Kate said to me warmly.
"You could, you definitely could I know, but the price is just too much for me. I don't want to lose you to this nightmare", I told her speaking out my fears for once, "I lose my self sometimes out there, on the field, but believe it or not it's you who pull me back together; when I am on field I think, 'Kate's back home waiting for me', and that's what keeps me going. I just want you to have a normal life because I like it that way."

"Normal life?!", Kate said surprised, "Leon, life with you is a roller coaster. Every day with you is different from my perspective, same things happen in different way every day. It's not normal in anyway", she moved close to me, "But if that's the type of life you want for me I'll have it", she pecked my lips, "But there's a price."
"What price?", I asked her raising my brows at such a demanding statement.
"You have to take better care of yourself", she replied, "And if possible tell me enough so that I don't worry too much."
"Conditions will be met as long as you're with me", I replied to her in not more than a whisper as our faces drew closer.

Kate hummed in response as I cupped her face and captured her lips in a deep passionate kiss. It was something I really wanted to do from the time I first laid my eyes on her; she was looking really beautiful today. She kissed me back lovingly matching my pace, making me wrap my arms around her tightly and she wrapped hers around my shoulder. I really felt fortunate to be back in her embrace once again and I wished I could express it in words but I couldn't.

I took one of her hands and pressed it against my fast beating heart without breaking the kiss and just hoped that she could understand these feelings, like she always did, without me telling her about it. I opened my eyes with a start, when I felt her crying and I was about to pull away from the kiss, when she whispered through the kiss asking me to stay, deepening the kiss even more. I closed my eyes once again giving myself to that healing warmth; she was the only one who could do it. She was always there when I needed to be rescued. She was the one who completed me and put me back together; Kathleen Cornor… well Kathleen Kennedy now, will always be the one I will go back to.

A/N: Thanks for taking out time to read the story, hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing. I apologize for any grammatical mistakes or typos that might have caused you an inconvenience. And now that the story is finished I'd appreciate if you could let me know how you found it.