A/N: I'd like to thank all the readers for supporting this story so far and a special mention to reviewers Shirahane Aikawa, Mercenary Nemesis and the anonymous reviewer for taking out time to leave a review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident evil or any of its characters appearing in this story, they are sole property of Capcom.

Chapter 17

(Kate's POV)

I looked at Leon, as he rested his head on the back of his seat as the one of the air hostess told us about the safety drills and stuff. He sighed deeply which made me ask; "Didn't you get proper sleep or something?"
"Nightmares", he replied tilting his head to look at me.
"Why don't you sleep now?", I suggested.
"Can't sleep when I am on plane, it's not that comfortable", he replied.
"Well it won't be a long flight you can sleep when we get home", I said to him opening my book that I brought along to read during the flight and he just hummed, "Don't tell me you have to go to work the moment you land in DC?", I couldn't help but ask.
"After 4 hours, Yes", he replied.
"Leon?!", I said unbelievingly.
"4 days is a super long vacation for me, you know", he said sitting straight.
"You work on weekends too, so you deserve that vacation every once in a while", I said to him, "No doubt you're not married till now", and he gave me a explain-this-thing-to-me look, "Well you know, what kind of girl would marry you knowing you won't even spend the weekends with her."
"The one who loves me", Leon replied and it left me speechless. I just didn't know what to say, it never occurred to me that maybe all this time he just wanted someone to love him.

I again looked at him, he wasn't looking at me and yet again I felt butterflies in my stomach. I don't know what's happening but it's something I really never felt before. He turned and looked at me and waved his hands in front of me, "I am sorry", I said looking away.
"For what? Being lost in thoughts?", he asked me with a laugh and then after a while asked, "So who was it about?"
"Does it necessarily have to be someone?", I asked him back, if I'd tell him I was thinking about him that be a bit creepy.
"Well its usually someone", he replied as an airhostess passed by him, to get to her seat before the take off, giving him a flirty smile which for some reason he returned and almost involuntary I hit his arm and he looked at me, "What?!", he asked puzzled.
"Stop flirting!", I kinda snapped at him.
He raised his eye brows, "You are acting like my girlfriend", he told me.
"What?! NO!", I acted surprised. I didn't know myself why I stopped him from flirting.
"Well yeah you just stopped me from flirting with a cute flight attendant", he said as the plane sped up on the runway.
"Leon, don't talk to me now. I don't feel right when the plane is about to take off or is taking off", I told him in an urgent tone.
"Remember the time in LA? I told you to wait in car while I go and meet with Hutchinson but no you followed me in the café", he didn't listen to me and continued.
"You didn't ask me to stay in the car, you clearly said keep a watch on Shadow", I said a bit offended.
"Shadow can take care of himself, it clearly meant that you should stay there", he argued, "Admit it, you followed me."
"I didn't follow you. I wanted a coffee", I defended myself.
"Are you forgetting you had coffee during breakfast", he reminded me and well he was right. I was kinda speechless because well I for some reason did not like him flirting with other women. I didn't know myself until he pointed it out just now, "So see you do act like you're my girlfriend."

"I don't", I again snapped at him, "I just… I just want you to get yourself a good girl that maybe cares for you and loves you and not like the women who are after your money or looks. Didn't you say it yourself just now?"
"You just made it up", Leon again argued.
"I did not", now I was actually offended because it was the truth which I just realized.
"Did to", he said.
"Did not", I repeated myself.

"Will you two quiet down", Chris almost yelled at us, "I am trying to sleep here."
"Please Sir, keep your voice down it might disturb other passengers", the flight attendant requested Chris and he glared at us but we had already buried our faces in magazines and trying to hold our laughter.
"I'll get you two for this", Chris muttered to us once the attendant left.
"Chris I am trying to sleep here", Jill scolded him and again it made us double up with laughter.
"Tell it to them, they were arguing about something during the whole take off", Chris mumbled to her covering his face with the blanket.

'Take off', I thought and looked outside the window and yeah sure enough we were airborne. I looked back at Leon he was doing something on his phone as if nothing happened and I couldn't help but smile, "Thanks", I said to him.
Leon gave me a puzzled look, "For what?", he asked shrugging.
"For distracting me", I told him.
"Ah… it's nothing actually it was fun arguing with you", he replied with a mischievous grin.
"What's that grin about?", I asked as I couldn't help but notice it.
"Huh?", he played dumb.
"Come on you're plotting something", I asked him smiling.
"You'd know soon enough", he replied, "it's kind of a surprise, so just wait for it", he smiled.

(Leon's POV)

"Hmm…. Okay", Kate agreed trying to read me and then she got back to her novel.
'I don't know if you love me and I won't risk our friendship until I am sure you love me back', I said to her mentally staring at her beautiful face.
"You said something?", she asked looking up at me and I shook my head, "I don't feel like reading", she closed her book and looked at me, "talk to me."
"About what?", I asked checking my schedule on my PDA.
"Anything", she replied, "I am bored so just keep me entertained."
"I don't have anything to talk at the moment", I told her.
"Okay I'd start the topic; you just keep your PDA away. It feels like I am interrupting when you are with your girlfriend", she said to me and I couldn't help but laugh a bit, "Sshh… you'd get us killed", she hushed me, "So are you free tomorrow?"

"Can't say, sweetheart. Who knows maybe they make me work long because of this unexpected vacation of mine", I replied and Kate looked a bit disappointed, "Why you ask?"
"Uh nothing important", she said and faked a smile.
"What's special tomorrow? Is it your birthday?", I asked her.
"No, nothing special I was just asking", she replied and again opened her book.
"Okay, so what are you doing tomorrow?", I asked her and she looked at me and maybe decided if she should say it or not.
"Ah… I'd be preparing to fly the next day", she answered a bit hesitantly.
"Where are you going?", I asked her trying to keep my expressions normal.
"London for a conference", she replied and I didn't have any words to respond to that, "it be a weeklong trip", she added, "So I was hoping that I get to see you before I fly", she took a pause, "So can you make it?", she again asked hopefully.
"I will definitely", I replied with a firm voice and she smiled.

(Kate's POV)

We talked and talked not realizing how the time passed and the plane was already hitting the DC's runway. We made our way to the airport and went through the formalities and said goodbyes to the friends. Then took cabs to get home and since Leon and us stayed just a few blocks away we decided to share the cab and as always I was with him and Shadow, sharing a cab.

"So you'd be going to work in sometime now?", I asked him.
He sighed out of boredom and replied, "Unfortunately yes."
"Have dinner with us tonight?", I suggested, " I can make your favorite meals."
"Do you even know that?", he asked smiling at me.
"Umm… let's think… pasta?", I told him smiling.
"I am impressed Ms. Cornor", he said smiling; "I'll be there then."
"I'd be waiting then", I said to him.

"We are here", the driver said and I looked outside. We were at my place, meaning I have to get off now. I looked at Leon and for a moment I didn't want to leave but I had to anyway, so I got out and the driver got out to help me take out the luggage. I bent to lift the bag and at the same moment Leon grabbed it and we both looked at each other.

"I thought you might require my assistance", he said and I nodded letting go of the bag.
"Hey you guys reached before us", Chris called out to us getting out of the cab.
"Yeah", we both said together.
"Thanks Kennedy but I'd take it from here", he said taking the bag from Leon, "You've been a great help. Kiddo get the door", he called to me walking towards the house.
"So see you tonight then", I said to Leon rubbing my arm.
"Yeah", he replied looking deep into my eyes.
"Kate!", Chris yelled again from the porch and I looked at him, "You have the keys."
"Guess I should be going", Leon said opening the cab door.
"Leon", I called to him and he looked back at me and I don't know what made me and I hugged him and he too held me tight, "Don't forget about the dinner. I'll be waiting."

(Jill's POV)

"Kate!", Chris yelled again.
"I am coming", Kate yelled with the same intensity and stormed off in his direction. I looked back at Leon; he got in the cab and headed for his home. The moment I just witnessed was no less than a scene from any classic romantic movie, just that it felt more real and lovely, "I am gonna just…", I heard Kate mutter under her breath as she fetched bags from my feet.

"She seems a bit angry at something", Chris said getting the heavier bags.
"Why wouldn't she be?", I said to him smiling at Kate, "You ruined her moment with Kennedy."
"What? When?", he asked surprised.
"Didn't you see her hugging him just now?", I asked him.
"Oh that", he smiled, "Yeah well at least I hope they realize that fact soon."
"Maybe they already do and you know just hiding from us", I suggested to him.
"Nah I don't think they confessed it to each other yet", Chris said as we walked in the house, "they both take things real slow."
"Or maybe they just want to live these moments to the fullest", I said to him as he ran up the stairs with the bags.
"Yeah whatever", he yelled uninterested.

I sighed and moved to switch on the TV, "We have a problem", Kate said walking in from kitchen, "We don't have pasta", she sounded a mix of concerned and disappointed.
"Well make something else for lunch then", I said to her.
"No, it's not that; I promised Leon that I'd make beef for him but we don't have pasta. How can I cook that when we don't have it", she said slouching on the couch sounding really distressed.
"Is there something I should know?", I asked her and she looked up at me a bit puzzled.
"What?", she asked a bit confused.
"You know what I mean", I said to her and she shook her head confused, "Well you and Kennedy are kind of close lately, spend too much time together, so is there something between you two?", I asked totally excited inside but not showing that outside.
"No", Kate replied, "nothing going on between us. We're just friends", she sighed standing, "Anyways I'll just ask Chris to get pasta for tonight. I'll just head up and have a shower. I feel a bit tired", she said changing the topic.
"Yeah", I said and watched her walk up the stairs, "Just friends… definitely not", I commented switching on the television.

Chris was right about them the way they both are taking it, maybe it would be months before something actually happens, "Maybe you'd be out already little guy", I said to the baby in my womb.
"Who are you talking to?", Chris asked joining me.
"To our baby", I smiled at him, "just telling him that his/her aunt Kate is taking it too slow with his/her to be uncle."
"How about we speed things up", Chris suggested thinking something.
"How?", I asked excitedly.
"That I have to think about", he said sighing giving up thinking, "You guys are the brains you know."
"Yeah I know. Well let's give them some time for now if things don't work out sooner then we'll surely meddle", I said and Chris hummed in agreement.

A/N: Thanks for reading the chapter, hope you enjoyed it. I'd like to apologize if you found it inconvenient to read due any mistakes or typos in text.