A/N: Thanks for all the reads, favorites, follows and all the support you've been showing this story, I am extremely grateful to all of you. I want to express my gratitude to Adela and the anonymous reviewer, for reviewing the last chapter, I am really happy that you are loving the story. =)

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

Chapter 35

(Leon's POV)

I walked inside the restaurant to get myself dinner, talking on the phone and instructing my subordinates about trivial matters. I was starving like hell that I had to take a break from my duties to get to this restaurant to have something in my stomach, so I took care of the important stuff and left a bit of work to my subordinates for the time being. I disconnected the call as the host led me inside and as he was showing me to the table, I heard my name being called. I looked in the direction and saw it was Chris, who was calling out to me. Jill, Claire, Eric and Kate along with her boyfriend were there too. There were two more people I didn't recognize but if I had to assume I'd say they were Mike's parents because Mike resembled the woman a lot, who was eyeing me in curiosity and surprise. The occasion really seemed something very important.

"What're you thinking, get over here", Chris said beckoning me.
"Excuse me for a bit", I said to the host and walked to their table.
"What a nice coincidence", Chris said with a smile, "What are you doing here?"
"Of course he's here to have dinner", Claire said with a wide smile.
"Join us", Chris said pointing to the only empty chair at their table.
"You have company and I don't want to impose", I declined his invite.
"Oh its fine", Chris said casually.
"No, I am fine; it looks important and I don't think an outsider should get involved", I said being practical.
Claire got up from her seat, "Oh c'mon we never thought you as an outsider; come have dinner with us. It's not like it's the first time", she said pulling out the chair.
"Yeah true that, Kennedy", Jill said with a smile as well, "We'd love it if you can join us."

"But…", I looked from her to Chris to their guests and then back to Chris, hoping that they'd get my hint.
"I hope you don't mind, Dr. Vaughn?", Chris asked the man with a smile, "He's one of our close friends."
"Oh not at all, not at all", the man said with a genuine smile.
"And Mrs. Vaughn?", Jill queried.
"No", the woman replied a bit icily still not taking her eyes off me.
"See you can join us", Chris said to me happily.
"That's very nice of you guys but…", I still tried to deny their request.

"Oh stop the drama already", Kate cut me in between, "It's just a dinner, you don't have to be so formal, just sit down already", she looked up at me with a bright smile.
I couldn't say no to that smile, "Oh okay", I said taking the only seat that was next to her and Claire walked back to resume her seat next to Eric.
"This is Dr. and Mrs. Vaughn, Mike's parents", Kate introduced them to me, "and this is Leon S. Kennedy, one of my close friends."
"Nice to meet you both", I said with a smile.
"Same here!", Mike's dad said with a smile while his mom just gave a slight nod of acknowledgement.
"Sorry for interruption, let's continue the dinner", Kate said putting a plate in front of me.

I filled my plate and as I started eating I noticed there was an awkward silence on the table, it was almost like they were here to mourn somebody's death. Although Claire was talking to Eric, Chris was having a conversation with Mike's dad, his mom was chatting with Jill and Kate was listening to what Mike was saying, it still was awfully quiet for the occasion at hand. It was just too much formal for Redfields and for Kate. I tried to not pay too much attention and busied myself with the dinner, I was on duty and didn't really had too much time to spare, but I couldn't help but overhear Kate and Mike's conversation since they were sitting just next to me.

"Your brother shouldn't have asked him to join us", Mike said to her in an undertone expressing his disdain.
"Why? He's our friend, it be inconsiderate to let him eat all by himself", Kate countered his argument and then she looked at me and added, "Don't mind him."
"Not at all", I told her shaking my head in negative; I could understand that guy's insecurities. Kate was looking so stunning tonight that if I were her boyfriend I would have gotten a little insecure as well, 'What are you thinking', I smacked myself inwardly for thinking that.

"So Kate?", Mike's mother called out in a shrill voice, pushing her son back so she could look at Kate.
"Yes, Mrs. Vaughn?", she said in acknowledgment, smiling beautifully.
"So, Mike told me you work with him", she questioned her.
"Yes, I do", she replied with a slight nod.
"I hope you're as good as Mike", Mrs. Vaughn said with a sense of pride in her son and I thought things heated up a bit at the dinner table as Chris literally shot an angry glare at Mike.
"I try to be", Kate said modestly.

"Honey", Dr. Vaughn called his wife's attention to him, "Kate is even better than Mike", Mike choked on his chicken when he heard that, but his father just continued, "Kate was one of the best interns I have ever had. She was really brilliant I must tell you. And I still think she's too good for Mike."
At that Mike's mom began laughing, laughing hard and Mike joined in with her while the rest of the people just awkwardly stared from one face to another including Mike's dad wondering what happened, "You're such a joker, George!", her mom said between her laughs.
"But that's true, Mike is good but Kate is better", Dr. Vaughn said seriously.
"She's always been the brains of the family", Chris said his chest swelled up in pride.

"Can we please not talk about work", Kate said with a smile trying to ease up the tension, "I mean we are here to know each other well and all, since Mike and I are getting married."
"What?!", Mike's mom almost yelled out dramatically, "Mike, you didn't mention something like this?"
"Well mom…", Mike said a little nervously loosening his collar.
"What mom? You said your girlfriend invited us on dinner party held for her new born nephew? Did you lie to me?", her mother got all melodramatic and I felt like I was watching a really boring movie.
"Well I wanted you to meet Kate and get to know her a bit before breaking the news to you", Mike told his mother.
"And you thought that the talk won't go on at the dinner table", his Dad said unimpressed shaking his head in disbelief.
"Let's not heat up the conversation", Kate said to the Vaughn family, "Dr. And Mrs. Vaughn, Mike and I have decided to get married two weeks from now on January 1st, it's new years so everyone of our relatives and friends can make it."
"Two weeks?!", his mom looked from Kate to Mike, "Mike, is this true? Are you really going to marry this girl?", she looked back to Kate with a contemplating look.
"Yes mom, I am marrying her", Mike said taking a deep breath of determination.
"You made such a big decision without asking your momma?!", her mother said in a hurt voice and even though the situation was really serious but still I felt like laughing out loud.

(Kate's POV)

I looked away from Mrs. Vaughn as I tried hard not to laugh but seeing Leon was trying to hold his laugh as well made both of us burst out laughing, "Kate?!", Mike said seriously looking confused at me.
"I am sorry, I am sorry", I apologized sitting up straight, holding my laugh in as Leon too stopped laughing and concentrated on his meal.
"Mom, it's not like I want to hurt you or anything…", Mike said trying to convince his mother.
"You hurt your momma real good, Mikey", his mother cut in between and there it was again as both me and Leon burst out laughing again.
"Leon, stop laughing", I said faking a scolding tone between my laughs.
"You stop first", he said shaking his head laughing hard.

"This is an insult!", Mike's mom said throwing her napkin and standing up.
"Mrs. Vaughn I didn't mean to insult you", I said looking up at her seriously, finally managing to contain my laughter.
"We're leaving!", Mike's mom said pompously, "C'mon George we'll leave now!", she pulled her husband along.
"Honey, it's a small matter", Dr. Vaughn tried to reason with her.
"I said now!", she said with a weight on her voice. Dr. Vaughn sighed getting up.

"Mom", Mike said trying to stop her by grabbing her arm, as the rest of us rose from our seats as well.
"Mrs. Vaughn please finish your dinner", I requested of her but she ignored my request.
"Mom, Kate is sorry!", Mike said to her and she looked at me and Mike, "Aren't you?", he turned to look at me.
"Yes I am", I nodded in agreement. I realized my mistake and my intention was never to insult her or anything, "I am really sorry if I offended you somehow", I said as sincerely as I could.
"See mom Kate is a very nice girl", Mike tried to sell a good image of me to her.
"I still don't like her", her mother said a little poisonously and Jill restrained Chris from launching himself on to her by grabbing his wrist and shaking her head in a no, "I had so many dreams about your wedding and your wife, you shattered all those dreams of your momma", Mrs. Vaughn added being very emotional and then I couldn't help myself and burst out laughing again.
"I am so sorry but it's so funny when she says momma", I apologized between my laughs. I don't know why but it was making me laugh.
"Such insolence", Mike's mom said angrily and hurried away with her husband.

"Mom!", Mike called out to her but she didn't stop, "Kate?!" he said in a tone of disbelief turning to look at me, "Mom really hates you now!"
"I couldn't control my laughter, I am sorry!", I said feeling a little helpless about it.
"So the marriage is off now?", Chris asked hopefully.
"Of course not!", Mike almost yelled out to him and then realized a little later, that it was Chris who he yelled out to, "I mean, I'll talk to my mother about it. I am sure she'd understand."
"Of course she will", I said to him smiling.
"But now I have to go, undo the damage that you did", he said sighing.

"You did more damage than her by hiding the truth", to my utter surprise it was Leon, who was saying it. Mike looked at him very much in the same way his mother was looking at me the whole evening, "Don't mind that!", Leon said in a regretful tone, "I didn't mean to preach", he added with a sigh.
"I won't forget you laughed at my mother", Mike said angrily to him.
"I am very sorry", Leon said being apologetic.
"Yeah we are very sorry, we weren't really thinking straight", I said to him, "But anyways you should go after your mom."
"Yeah", he sighed, "See you tomorrow at work", he kissed my cheek.
"Yeah okay take care and tell your mom I am really sorry", I said being sincerely apologetic about the incident. It was really immature of me to laugh at her like that and it's now that I am realizing it.
"Yeah you too take care", he said grabbing his coat and leaving.

"Phew, thank god it's over!", Chris said slumping back in his seat, "Let's get back to dinner, shall we?", he added being too much carefree for the moment.
"I think I should be leaving", Leon said to us, "Thanks for having me."
"What?! You haven't even finished your dinner", Jill said sounding a little revolted of the idea.
"I guess I caused too much trouble for one day", he said with an apologetic smile.
"Leon, no", Claire said in a comforting tone, "don't think like that."
"Yeah, how is it your fault?!", I said to him confused, "I was the first one to laugh. And believe me, if Chris is not stopping Mike, then his mom possibly won't either."

(Leon's POV)

"Kate, you're getting married try to use your brain, you know. Mike doesn't really like me and you're just making the situation worse by doing this", I tried to give her a piece of my brain.
"Yeah and that's the reason I want you to be with me now because once I am married, we won't be friends. I mean of course, I'd consider you my friend and you'd do too but with Mike around we'd be friends for just namesake. So now when he's not around, we can hang out, laugh, joke around, talk and share stuff", Kate spoke fast getting emotional.
"Isn't that like you cheating on him?", I pointed it out to her.
"No, it's not!", she almost yelled, "We are just friends, it's not like we love each other or anything, so how can it be cheating?", her words hurt like hell, maybe that's how she felt when I denied my feelings that night.

"Kate!", Chris said almost in reflex.

"Is it too much to ask?", Kate asked me ignoring Chris and I could make out tears welling up in her eyes. I didn't have any answer for that, more of, I didn't really want to reply. Nothing was too much for me, if it involved Kate; I could do just about anything if she asked me to, except being with her.
"Kate…", I tried to find words.
Kate's expressions changed and she touched her head, "I am sorry… I said something stupid. You can go, I know you're busy", she said getting a hold of herself, holding back her emotions and stepping away from me.

Kate turned her back at me and I looked at others, who were looking back and forth between me and Kate, as speechless as I was at the moment. I thought it was best to leave when I could, so I started to move and no one stopped me either. I walked out of restaurant and asked the valet to get my car. When I got here I was super hungry but even though I barely ate anything, I wasn't feeling hungry anymore, my appetite just disappeared somewhere. Even though I wasn't with Kate, I was still hurting her every time we crossed paths and I just hated myself more and more because of it. If only I could make her happy.

"Leon!", I turned as Claire called my name, "Sorry about Kate."
"It's fine! I guess she's just stressed with all the wedding and stuff", I said it even before the realization hit me and then continued, "With Chris against the wedding and now Mike's mom joining the crowd, I think she's a little upset over it."
"You understand her so well", Claire smiled at me.
"I am her best friend, right?", I couldn't help but say, shrugging.
"True but you're not acting as a friend now, are you?", she said with a smile of disappointment, "Anyways you forgot this", she handed me my phone.
"Sir, your car", the valet said giving me the keys.
"Thanks!", I said to him, "I should be going now", I added to Claire.
"Yeah, good night and take care then", she wished me with half a smile.
"Yeah you too", I said with a slight smile and walked to my car.

I got in, put on seat belts and looked at Claire, who stepped back inside the restaurant, just to notice Kate came to return my phone as well. I shook my head at the silly thought and corrected myself, she was probably checking on Claire. There was a car horn and I turned the keys, pumping up the gas and drove off to the White House. All through the drive I kept on thinking about what Claire said and all of it was true. I could see that Kate was having a tough time with her wedding, her family was trying to be supportive but one could see it was a half-hearted effort. She was alone even though there were so many people to support her, it just wasn't enough, and more than anything she needed a friend.

I hit the steering wheel in frustration as I understood why she wanted me to be with her, it wasn't because she loved me or anything but because she could depend on me when things get rough. I didn't see it before because maybe I didn't want to admit it that she is moving on; and although it's a little heartbreaking that she needs me as a friend but I am happy that she has grown, and sad that I let an opportunity to stand in as a friend slip away like that, since it was already too late from where I see it.

A/N: Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I apologize for any grammatical mistakes or typos that caused an inconvenience whilst reading. See you all next week!