Work Text:
By Dani Tsubasa
Leon was used to being woken by nightmares in the middle of the night. But not this time. That night it was a clap of thunder that woke him amidst the heavy rain falling outside. For a moment it was just that, a heavy rain. Leon turned upwards, staring at the ceiling for a moment before gazing at the closed window. Getting up and going to it, he pulled back the navy blue curtain, encountering the drops swirling and running down the glass.
Washington was quiet that night, everyone huddled together to shield themselves from the heavy rain. No noisy neighbors or cats jumping on the roof. But not for Leon Kennedy. A slight sound at the lock of his front door, and he was there, pistol in hand, walking silently to the apartment entrance. He was ready to shoot the intruder when, instead of the sound of a forced entry, the lock was unlocked, the doorknob turned, and the door slowly opened, revealing a silhouette Leon would recognize under any circumstances. It wasn't so surprising that she had a key to his apartment, God knows how she got it. What startled him was seeing her posture, completely different from usual.
Ada Wong was a strong woman, aware of her own strength and imposing presence, and this was always very clear in everything about her, even in her movements. But Leon saw none of that now. She stumbled as she entered, seemingly not even noticing him there, her heels clicking unevenly as she turned to lock the door. A puddle began to form at her feet as she did so, probably from the rain, Leon thought. Getting dry clothes for her wouldn't be a problem. But when Ada finally seemed to notice him, something inside her collapsed, and her stealth instinct dissolved. Her breath became ragged as she still gripped the doorknob.
“Ada?”
She didn't answer, and Leon gave up on lowering his weapon, fearing he might be facing some lost and vengeful clone of Simons.
“Sorry for not letting you know, handsome,” her voice trailed off.
When Leon turned on the light, his eyes widened. There was water on the floor, yes, but also a considerable amount of what appeared to be blood. The red trail followed Ada as she tried to walk. Leon couldn't tell where on her body the bleeding was coming from, since her dark clothes masked the blood's color. He only had time to cock his pistol again and place it on the table before he was forced to run to stop Ada from hitting the floor.
Holding her in his arms, he felt the blood soaking the burgundy shirt she was wearing. Her clothes were drenched, but the dampness there was different, the warm blood contrasted with the cold rainwater. Leon sat on the floor with the Chinese woman in his arms, searching for injuries through her clothes.
“Leon...” she murmured, her breath still ragged, accompanied by tremors and a racing heart.
“Ada, what happened? Who did this to you?!”
“It seems they didn't want any witnesses,” she laughed. “I let my guard down too soon.”
She closed her eyes, and Leon had to think quickly. Laying her on one of his legs, as he had done in the fight against Simon, he opened the buttons on her shirt. Ada didn't mind, they had already seen everything from each other on many happy nights together. And there it was, a deep cut above the hip, still bleeding.
“Heavens...” Leon murmured nervously. “Ada...”
“I left the place. The mission was over...
“What were you doing?”
“A contractor wanted a document delivery. It seemed simple...“ The spy's voice suddenly faded, and Leon felt his own heart skip a beat.
Looking at the damage to her skin, he tried to be as gentle as possible when touching the area around the wound to better see the extent of the cut, but he gave up when he heard Ada struggling not to scream.
“Ada, we need to take care of this... What did you plan to do if I wasn't home?”
“Here was nearby... And safe. I came to get supplies.”
Leon put one arm under her back and the other under her knees, stood up, and carried her to his room, his heart pounding even harder when the Chinese woman couldn't stifle a small cry at the movement. He laid her on his bed and turned on the light, moving around the small apartment to get saline solution, gauze, and medication. His instincts told him to call emergency services, and it screamed in conflict about the possibility of Ada being arrested or not receiving proper treatment. He could clean the wound and give her pain medication. But what then? What if there was a risk of infection?
While gathering what he needed, in desperation, Leon called the closest person he knew he could trust.
“Helena?!”
“Leon...” She answered sleepily. “It's two in the morning. What happened?”
“How much do you know about treating battle cuts that won't stop bleeding to prevent post-infection?”
“You got hurt?! What on earth happened?!” Her friend asked, seemingly waking up immediately.
“Not me. It's an emergency! Ada...” he said more quietly.
“Where are you?!”
“My home. Could you possibly get her a change of clothes? And some information from a trusted pharmacist? I'll reimburse you later.”
“Do you know what size she wears? I imagine so.”
Leon confirmed this and gave her the instructions.
“I'll get there as soon as possible!”
She hung up, and Leon went back to Ada, who now seemed unconscious. He didn't know if that was good or bad. She would be spared the pain, but how much would the blood loss have already affected her by then?
He removed the spy's black boots and stockings, watching the blood stain her left foot where it had run down with the rainwater. Then he sterilized his hands. Ada woke up when the gauze soaked in saline solution touched the wound, and gritted her teeth to endure the pain. The spy's panting breath only calmed when Leon approached to kiss her forehead, surprising her with the unexpected but welcome touch.
“Everything will be alright. Just hold on for me, please.”
She nodded, and Leon turned on the bedside lamp to make sure he could see clearly what he needed to do. The bleeding was lighter now, but he grabbed a clean towel and pressed it against the area, still thinking about how to keep Ada safe if he needed to call for professional help. His mind was searching for information about whether he still had chlorhexidine in his apartment, it would help prevent infection.
“Ada, talk to me. I want you to be aware.”
“I'm sorry for ruining your bed.”
“That doesn't matter now. And maybe the blanket did its job of protecting the mattress. But... We need to get you out of those wet clothes.”
She flashed a suggestive smile, not missing the opportunity to tease him, even in such a state.
“I'm serious. And I think you should know that I asked Helena for help. She's going to bring you some things.”
“As long as it's not problems or agents who want me arrested, I'm grateful. I don't have the strength to run away right now...”
“Don't even think about it!” Leon said authoritatively, but gently, pushing the white towel, now stained red, away from her skin to check his work.
She was still bleeding, but less so. It took several minutes for the bleeding to actually stop, and for Leon to be able to worry about getting her out of at least some of her wet clothes, only then noticing that Ada's shirt was damaged, where a knife had probably hit her.
“Who did this to you. Who is it? And where are they?” The agent asked as he carefully removed the piece of clothing from her.
“Let's just say... I didn't fail at the part about not leaving witnesses like him. My contractor must be dealing with the cleanup now.”
“Does he recognize your face and your name?”
“No. Wong is not a pseudonym I give to just anyone.”
Leon let out a sigh of relief.
“May I?” He asked, wanting permission to remove her pants.
“When did I ever stop you from taking much more than that, handsome?” She smiled.
Leon smiled slightly, thinking about how strange and familiar it was at the same time not to be with her in his room to spend the night together. Taking care of her, even though he felt desperate and scared now, brought a comforting and certain feeling, however uncertain the future of their relationship might be. Then he opened the garment and took it off her, with the same care he had given to the shirt, feeling a new tightness in his chest as the fabric of the pants helped to widen the trail of blood down his beloved's leg. Her skin was pale and cold, a consequence of the heavy rain that was still falling outside.
“Let's dry you off,” Leon told her, searching for another towel in the wardrobe, and sitting on the edge of the bed while gently moving the fabric across her face.
Ada helped him as best she could, using the other end of the towel, but Leon insisted on doing the task himself, fearing that the still-unsealed wound would bleed again. The spy watched him with gratitude and love as the agent finished tending to her, and reached out to him when her skin was dry, except for her underwear, which was also slightly damp from the rain. The agent was drying her hair when she pulled him by his shirt and sealed their lips in a calm kiss. Both their bodies warmed from within, an extra caress adored by both. Leon stroked her cheek as they parted, and gazed at her tenderly. But they were interrupted by the doorbell.
“Leon?” Helena's worried voice called.
“I'll be right back,” he told her, kissing her quickly before leaving.
Helena heard the door unlock and her expression changed from worried to stunned by the scene in front of her. The floor of the apartment was wet, and a trail of blood led to Leon's bedroom door. Leon himself had blood on his hands, arms, on his white t-shirt, and on his gray sweatpants, in addition to some parts of his clothes being wet with water, which had mixed with the blood, causing some lighter stains.
The policewoman entered the apartment, still impressed by what she saw, while Leon closed and locked the door. When Helena remembered how to speak, she put the umbrella in a corner to dry, and finally addressed Leon.
“How bad was that?”
“It doesn't seem serious, just a bit deep. It took me a while to stop the bleeding.”
“Is she fine?
“Dazed. But okay enough so far.”
Leon answered her, but seemed confused and distant. Ever since she had met him and Ada, it was evident how the agent's love cried out for that mysterious Chinese woman. The pain in his blue eyes was now as great as the pain she had seen when Simon attacked Ada in China.
“Go take care of her,” Helena said, handing him a bag with clothes and more medical supplies. “There's chlorhexidine, antibiotics, and waterproof dressings in there. We have to seek medical help if she has a fever, starts bleeding again, or doesn't seem better in the morning. The wound needs to be well sealed if she's going to take a bath. And the clothes were my sister's. Judging by the size, I think they'll fit well. It's what I could find at this hour. As for underwear, there were new sets that my sister didn't even get to wear.”
“Your sister? Are you sure?”
Helena nodded with a smile.
“Debora would be very happy to help. Don't worry.”
“Thank you so much, Helena! Will you be staying?”
“Until we're sure she's okay. If we need to call for help, we can use the witness protection program to conceal her identity. She qualifies after everything we've been through.”
Leon agreed.
“Make yourself at home. I'll be back when I'm finished.”
Helena nodded, and Leon ran back to the room, closing the door behind him. He left the supplies on the bed and sat down to assess Ada's wound, who seemed to be asleep. Her breathing was flowing better, and she no longer showed as much discomfort. Feeling her pulse, Leon noticed that her heartbeat was also beginning to stabilize. He washed his hands in the bathroom, moistened more gauze with chlorhexidine, and applied it around the wound. Ada shuddered and opened her eyes.
“I'm sorry. I thought you had actually fallen asleep this time.”
“I’ll survive...” She replied.
“Do you want to take a shower? Afterwards you can eat and sleep. You know you can stay here as long as you like.”
She nodded.
“Only if you come along,” she said, teasing him and asking for help at the same time.
“Okay... So let's cover that.”
The next few minutes passed in silence. Leon applied antibiotic ointment to the wound and sealed it with a waterproof bandage. When he finished, he looked at Ada, who gazed at him with a tenderness he was proud to know was exclusive to him. He couldn't resist leaning in and kissing the spy's lips again. She returned the kiss. A tender kiss, born of the pure complicity they shared.
“Let's go.”
He put away the few things he had on his bedside table, except for the lamp, to make room for the medical items, and chose clean clothes for himself, leaving them on the bed along with those Helena had brought for Ada. He took towels to the bathroom, locked the bedroom door, and disposed of his own clothes, leaving them in the laundry basket, and returned to Ada.
“Do you feel comfortable sitting down?” Leon asked, worried that the location of the injury might hinder her.
“I think my blood pressure just came back from the depths, so probably yes.”
Leon nodded, but helped her anyway. Ada gritted her teeth in pain, though less than before, and let the agent help her remove the rest of her clothes and carry her to the shower. He held her while she cleaned herself, and helped her wash her hair and back, smiling as he remembered other times they had been in this shower, not necessarily bathing. He snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed Ada was having difficulty reaching her legs from the knees down without straining the injury, and he moved from his position behind her to crouch in front of her, taking the soap from her hands and looking at the Chinese woman.
“Hold my shoulder,” he asked, placing her hand there.
Ada smiled back, and Leon was touched to see the glint of nostalgia in her eyes.
“Yes, it's your turn,” she said, almost making Leon cry.
Impressed by how such an old memory could return with such force through simple words, Leon kissed the scar on her right thigh with devotion before beginning the task. Ada rested both hands on his shoulders as Leon slid the soap down her leg, once again thinking about what she had been keeping to herself for so long, I could stay.
Half an hour later, Ada was lying down wearing a nightgown that had belonged to Debora. She would have to thank Helena for that later. Leon had rearranged the bed for her, and was now finishing tidying the bathroom. A pleasant smell of food wafted from outside the room, and from the sound, Helena was moving around the kitchen and using the stove. Leon finally returned to the room, also in his pajamas.
“I'm going to see what Helena is up to,” he said, pulling a blanket over Ada and kissing her cheek.
Ada watched him leave the room and return with Helena. The policewoman had a worried expression, which disappeared when she saw Ada awake and alert.
“How are you feeling?”
“Better. Thank you for the clothes.”
Helena agreed with a smile.
“They belonged to my sister. She would be happy to help,” she repeated what she had said to Leon. “Ada... If we need to call for medical assistance for you, we are ready to get you a false identity as a key witness in the China case.”
“I don't think it’ll be necessary. But it's 24 hours before an infection appears, right? Let's wait and see...”
“I made soup. It's the healthiest thing I could come up with what Leon had here. I'll let you know when it's ready,” Helena said, then left the room.
“Better than alcohol, don't you think?” Leon joked, his dark humor taking over, leaving Ada with a serious expression.
“How are you doing with that?”
“Chris, Claire, Sherry, and now Helena too... Keep an eye on me to help me with this. I've been avoiding bringing alcohol home or drinking more than I should at all costs ever since.”
“That's good. But what do you do now instead of drinking?” Ada whispered the question.
Leon let out a heavy sigh.
“It's very difficult. But it's better to sleep or stare at the ceiling and walls than to drink.”
Ada felt sad, knowing how much her prolonged absences also impacted him. She had been thinking about it a lot, even before Leon asked her to stay permanently months ago. She just hadn't yet had the courage to tell him or take any action about it. She could stay and take care of him, as he was doing for her now. They would have a routine, even though their jobs meant they were apart for long periods of time. With Leon, this could work. She had never dared to say it aloud, but he was the closest thing to family she had, for a long time. She kept the thought in her heart, not wanting to make such a commitment with her mind still clouded by the shock of the mission. But she would think about it carefully while she recovered. She had promised Leon she would think about it. And she had already been doing so.
“I'm proud of you,” she said instead. “I need to know you're okay when I'm away.”
You could stay, Leon wanted to say. But not now. Later. When she's better, and less weak. Finally, he smiled.
“I'll clean the floor while our late-night dinner is being prepared. I don't want either of us accidentally slipping.”
“I'm sorry about that too.”
The blond man responded by kissing her temple, and couldn't resist embracing her, as gently as he could. Ada's arms closed around his back, one of her hands playing with the ex-policeman's hair.
“Leon... Is everything alright?”
“Yes, I just... I love you so much,” he whispered. “You have no idea how scared I was when I saw you bleeding.”
Ada's heart raced at those words. That caring, rookie cop still existed within Leon, somewhere deep inside, and here he was saying it to her.
“I know...” Ada replied, turning her face to kiss his. “Thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for loving me. And know that it's reciprocated.”
Leon sighed with pure happiness now. It was so rare for Ada to speak like that, but he knew it was sincere, and that he was also the only privileged person with whom she allowed herself to be vulnerable in this way.
Outside the room, without making a single sound, Helena smiled, once again confirming everything she had already seen between the two since the mission in China, and walked away to serve the dishes for the three of them, then went to the room, retreating silently when she saw the couple embracing.
“I'm finished. Ada, you should eat something,” Helena called from outside.
Leon stepped away from the hug, adjusting his arm around the Chinese woman's back and helping her to sit up. He took his blue robe from the wardrobe, a gift from Chris and Claire. He rarely wore it when the winter was particularly harsh, but today it would help keep Ada warm. He dressed her in it and picked her up again, carrying her to the table in the small kitchen.
“Does it hurt a lot?” Leon asked, hearing her murmur in discomfort.
“Not that I like it, but I'm getting used to it. The bandage helped a little.”
“Antibiotics will also help with the pain.”
Leon sat her down and sat beside her, wanting to be ready if she felt unwell. Looking around, he noticed that Helena had already dried the entire floor. Wet and blood-stained fabrics lay scattered in Leon's small laundry room in a corner of the apartment, waiting to be washed later.
“I'm sorry for getting you out of bed and causing you all this trouble. Thank you.”
“That's what friends are for,” Helena replied with a smile.
The policewoman served the three of them, and for a while they ate in silence. Although she already felt very close to the couple of friends, Helena had never truly spoken to Ada. She silently observed the beautiful feeling she knew existed between Leon and the spy, and sometimes she was amused by how stubborn they both were in admitting and fully surrendering to the bond they shared.
“This is very good,” Ada praised, eating with pleasure.
“Thank you.”
The three of them were thinking of topics to start a conversation, but they didn't know how to avoid crossing dangerous lines between Leon and Helena's contradictory work and Ada's. But Ada herself surprised them by initiating a conversation.
“I'm sorry for what I said when your sister... Passed away. I'm not good at this. All I know in those situations is that you either hurry or you die.”
Helena looked at her in surprise for a while. Neither Leon nor Ada could be quite sure what she was thinking. The policewoman lowered her spoon to the still unfinished plate and remained silent for a moment.
“You were right,” she finally said, her tone somewhere between sadness and a certainty that she seemed to have been building since the incident. “I just couldn't accept the situation the way it happened. And I could have killed us all along with her.”
“Hey...” Leon called calmly. “Don't start with that again. We're okay. That was your first experience with bioterrorism. It wasn't much different for me when it was my turn in Raccoon City. I would have easily died several times without Ada's help and Marvin's guidance. We all blame ourselves for so much when we go through that... And that guilt gets in our way too much. It takes us years to realize that and learn to deal with it. But I think we all did the best we could when it happened, and we tried our best even for everyone we couldn't save, even if it somehow still hurts forever”
Ada saw tears glistening in Helena's eyes, and saw the pain of memories in Leon's eyes, understanding how difficult it had been for him to say this. And years of realization hit Ada's heart now. It had been hard for him to grieve her supposed death alone for six years, just as it had been hard to say no when she offered him a ride in the helicopter in Spain, just as it had been hard for him to wake up alone after the first night they made love, and also when she disappeared after the intense moment he saved her from Simon, on the same day Helena met them both and lost her sister. For a moment, the spy's heart ached for having brought up the subject, but Helena smiled, nodded, and went back to eating.
“I'll try to remember that,” she said, her voice a little choked with emotion, but she was still smiling.
Under the table, Ada held Leon's hand, caressing his skin with her thumb. He looked at her, and the Chinese woman wished he could see in her eyes the pride and love she felt for him now, and perhaps everything else that had affected her, which she might tell him later. Leon brought her hand to his lips, not caring that Helena was watching, the only person in the world who had ever seen not one, but two displays of affection between the two. Three, actually, though the couple didn't know. Ada could see her smiling silently while pretending not to notice, and realized that the two had a good friend in the cruel world they were in. And for the second time that night, Ada was surprised by herself, or perhaps the blood loss and trauma of the last few hours were affecting her. Had she just admitted to herself that she had not only a beloved and protective man, but also a friend? Fear surged through her for a moment, clashing with all the love she felt around her. Being alone in the world so young, many years ago, had been as terrifying as realizing the opposite now. It was technically a good thing, and Ada didn't fully understand why she was afraid. But then she thought about her job, and knew that at least part of this fear stemmed from it. What would she do if she decided to stay? She had spent hours alone thinking about all the possible variables over the past few months. It would be very difficult, though not impossible. And as she finished eating, another question arose: Is it worth it?
The silence between the three was now comfortable and welcoming. Ada felt a flash pass through her, blurred in her memory, but clear in her body, of the last time she had a similar feeling, when she still had her mother. Then the question changed: Was it harder to stay, or to keep away knowing everything that had arisen in her life after meeting Leon? And she knew the answer. As much as her instincts, memories, professionalism, and knowledge screamed that it was a risk, the pain in her soul, for the first time, seemed enormous at the thought of leaving, much greater than all the warnings. When had she become so fragile? How much blood had she lost to be thinking like this? Then Leon's hand, intertwining its fingers with hers, resting on his thigh, reminded her of something. Leon was like that. And he was alive, albeit largely thanks to her help. But he was surviving with all the moral and emotional dilemmas that must have tormented him every second of his day since Raccoon City. Ada finished eating, deciding she would think about it and make a choice later.
“Go and rest. I'll take care of everything here.”
“You don't have to,” Leon said, but Helena interrupted him.
“Leon, I'd be at rock bottom if it weren't for you. It's my turn to help you now. Go take care of her.”
Leon smiled.
“At least let me improve the accommodations for you. I'll be right back,” he said to Ada, kissing her cheek before getting up and returning with a pillow and blankets, spreading one on the sofa and leaving the other, along with the pillow on top. “You can call me in the middle of the night if you need anything.”
“I'll be fine.”
“Thank you, Helena,” Ada thanked for them both, finding it very strange to pronounce the name of anyone other than Leon with gratitude.
She smiled, already getting up to tidy up the kitchen. Leon again picked Ada up in his arms as soon as she swallowed the antibiotics Helena had brought, then carried her to the bedroom.
“What?” Ada asked when he chuckled softly.
“It's ironic... The first time you didn't want me to carry you. How many times have I carried you today?”
He flashed a victorious smile at her surprised expression.
“See? The world didn't end because you let me take care of you,” Leon said when the two reached the bathroom and he handed her her toothbrush, which had been permanently there since they had first met in the apartment.
Ada took the object and even with limited movement due to the lingering pain, she lowered him enough for their lips to meet. Leon held her by the waist and returned the kiss. Ada caressed his face as they pulled away, and an exchange of glances filled with silent words took place between them. She saw everything in those blue eyes. The hopeful rookie, the broken agent who had reunited with her in Spain, the determined man who had saved her in China, the Leon who was taking care of her now. Her Leon. And in that instant, she truly doubted she could turn her back again and disappear in the middle of the night once she recovered.
Ada brushed her teeth while he watched over her safety, still wanting to keep her thoughts to herself for now, not wanting to hastily decide something she might regret later. Everything in her life had been strategically calculated and thought out since she became alone. And she still didn't know how to solve anything any other way.
Leon carried her to bed after letting her use the bathroom, then returned to do the same. He made sure the house was securely locked before checking on Helena, who had taken off her shoes and fallen asleep on the sofa under the blanket. Then he went back to the bedroom, closing the door and settling down under the covers with Ada. She turned to him, seeking warmth against his chest, and simply because she didn't want to miss the opportunity to be near him. Leon hugged her carefully, making sure not to touch the bandage, and breathed deeply with satisfaction, wanting to stay like this with her forever.
“You could stay,” Leon whispered suddenly, the thought escaping him before he could think. “I promise I'll take care of you. I believe we can find a way, even if it's difficult.”
“I know you will. You've always taken care of me, even when I didn't want it. Thank you for that.”
He didn't answer, but she could hear his thoughts screaming for a response.
“I didn't want to tell you now.”
“Tell me what?”
“I've been thinking about that. Staying here with you.”
Ada felt his heart race beneath her hand.
“Seriously? Or are you just trying to throw me off so you can disappear when I'm asleep?”
“Don't jump to conclusions, handsome,” she pleaded, caressing his chest where she felt his heart beating. “There's a lot to think about. About me. About many things. Let me think. And I'll be here in the morning. How far do you think I'd go alone with an injury like this?”
“You survived Raccoon City.”
“You have a point. But I've really been thinking about it. We'll have a lot to talk about later,” she kissed him lingeringly before snuggling up to him again and closing her eyes.
Leon kissed her forehead, trying his best to fall asleep peacefully after that brief initial conversation. He still managed to smile, easily drifting off to sleep with the warmth of his beloved next to his, and the sound of the rain caressing the window once more.
******
Late-morning light filtered through the gaps in the bedroom curtains. Leon opened his eyes, still groggy from sleep and the intense night. The first thing he looked for was Ada, who was still asleep in his arms. After rubbing his eyes to shake off the fatigue and check the digital clock on the nightstand to see that it was almost noon, he placed his hand on Ada’s forehead, relieved to find no sign of a fever. He disentangled himself from their embrace with almost surgical care so as not to wake her, pulled back the blanket, and lifted her nightgown just enough to check the bandage. There was a small spot of dried blood on the gauze, but nothing more. He adjusted her clothing, stepped out of bed, and tucked her back in, kissing her temple before walking away.
“I'll be right back,” he said softly.
He looked out the window and saw a cloudy sky, but without the heavy rain of the previous night. Leaving the bedroom, he found the blankets and pillow folded on the sofa and a note on the table.
Leon, I had to go to work. I slid the key under the door. I’ll be back later. Don’t hesitate to call if Ada needs anything. I left food in the fridge for you both.
Helena
Leon smiled. Helena was truly a great friend. Another treasure in this cruel world. If Ada really stayed, he believed the two of them would get along well. And he hoped the same would be true for Sherry, Claire, and perhaps even Chris and Jill.
The agent bent down to pick up the key from the floor, reattaching it to the keyring, from which Helena had removed it to slide the object through the gap under the door, and returned the keys to the table.
“So many women in your life... And you chose me.”
Leon turned when he heard her, seeing Ada leaning against the open bedroom door, and ran over to steady her.
“It's all good, handsome,” she assured him, but she let him hold her by the waist anyway. “I'm the harder path. If I stay, it’s going to be very difficult for both of us. I can’t guarantee that nothing bad will happen to you or to me. I need time to erase certain traces of my past and find alternative ways of working. Not that I care. But if you’re willing to accept all this for my sake, I also want to keep you safe, even if that means turning down certain questionable and highly profitable jobs.”
Leon looked at her with affection.
“If I cared, I wouldn't have lowered my weapon in Raccoon City, and I wouldn't have done everything I did for you in Spain.”
“You would. You don't know how to let innocents die when there is still time to reach them.”
“But I did it because I love you. I would even fight against time for you.”
“I know,” Ada replied tenderly, her gaze reflecting the same affection. “I don't have any mission for the time being. I think a few days of vacation will help me redefine my goals, priorities, and working methods.”
“Remember that you are a witness, with the charges dropped. I can also help you with the legal matters.”
“What kind of problems could this cause you?”
“Hunnigan is pretty strict, but she trusts me. I don't think she'd pull me off the job for helping you. We managed to help Helena, we can do the same for you.”
“She shot the guy who hurt her sister, right? And she was treated unfairly with an administrative punishment... I’d have given her a medal,” Ada smiled.
Leon laughed softly.
“I agree with you on that. I can't guarantee I wouldn't have gone after the person who hurt you yesterday if you hadn't taken care of it yourself.”
“I remember the sound of the gunshots, and waking up with you holding me while taking Simon's blows for me. Thank you for that.”
Ada pulled him into a calm kiss that ended in a tender embrace, each resting their head against the other's neck.
“So... Are you staying?”
Leon could have gone crazy during the moments it took Ada to answer.
“I'm here now, aren't I? Let's see how this works.”
She felt Leon smile against her skin and leave a kiss there.
“I love you too. I think it's important to remind you of that,” she said, hearing Leon sigh with emotion as she played with his golden hair.
******
Leon woke up at peace, feeling Ada embrace him and plant a soft kiss on his chest. The warmth of her skin against his was incredibly comforting. Neither of them had bothered to put on any clothes after making love the night before, they had simply snuggled up to each other under the covers and fell asleep entwined.
Ada smiled, feeling the agent’s arms tighten around her and pull her closer, accompanied by a kiss on her hair. She loved feeling Leon’s muscles as he held her affectionately. The rookie cop had grown into a larger and physically stronger man over the years, and Ada had no complaints about that. Leon drew her out of her thoughts by planting a soft kiss on her forehead, followed by others on her temple, nose, cheek, and the corner of her mout, moving very slowly, until finally kissing her gently on the lips, deepening the contact when she kissed him back.
“At this rate, we’re not getting out of bed today, handsome,” Ada teased.
“It’s Sunday, and it’s our day off. We don’t need to leave,”Leon argued, leaning in to kiss his beloved’s neck.
Ada shivered and sighed with satisfaction. Gazing out the tinted, bulletproof windows, she saw a beautiful and sunny day. But she decided that their outdoor workout routine could wait a little while.
“If you insist...”
Leon smiled, rolling over onto her and holding her tenderly. Ada sighed as she felt his strong body warming her. Beneath the sheets, Leon traced each of her scars, pausing at the most recent one, a wound he had treated two years earlier, when the spy had broken into his old apartment in the middle of the night, drenched by the rain and bleeding. That was the day she decided to stay. The decision had tormented her for a few weeks. She hadn't said a word about it, but she knew Leon was aware of her struggle, and she was grateful that he never pressured or questioned her, even though she knew it was tearing him apart inside, and she felt a duty to reassure him. And so, they gradually found their rhythm. She now avoided dangerous or highly suspicious clients, carefully weighed the cost-benefit of every mission, and she had even worked undercover solely to thwart a client's nefarious objectives or to help apprehend them. Sherry had assisted with intelligence operations on a few occasions. And, as Helena had suggested that night, she was a free woman, a key witness cleared of the crimes committed by Simons and Carla. That was why she had partnered with the DSO on rare occasions, even joining Leon on the odd mission.
“You could tell me why you've been so worried lately,” the agent tried to persuade her, planting kisses on her neck.
Ada sighed, the fingers of one hand tangling in his blond hair, and those of the other sliding down his back.
“It's hard to talk about something important with you provoking me like that.”
Leon laughed and embraced her, turning over with her and letting her settle on top of him. Ada lay against his chest, feeling his large hands stroke her hair and back just as she had been doing for him moments before.
“Better this way?”
“I didn't tell you to stop. I was going to tell you later.”
“But now I want to know. We’ve always shared our worries over the past two years. What’s going on, babe?”
Ada tilted her face up to look at him for a moment, seemingly weighing the possibilities, and reached for the nightstand drawer, grabbing one of her tactical pouches. Then she moved off him to sit against the headboard, asking Leon to do the same.
“Yesterday, when I arrived in Washington, I stopped at a pharmacy on the way, because I’ve never vomited from motion sickness after long jumps on a mission.”
“Ada... Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you call for backup? I had already come home. I'd have gone to you.”
“I was almost there. Waiting for reinforcements would have jeopardized the results. I pulled myself together and finished what I needed to do. Yesterday, I wanted to rest and spend time with you. That’s why I didn’t give you what I brought. We hadn’t planned it, but... I think you’ll like it.”
She unzipped her bag and pulled out something that resembled a digital thermometer, but Leon realized what it was when Ada placed the object in his hands and watched her husband's reaction closely. His blue eyes lit up and gradually widened, culminating in a deep breath.
“That's it...?”
“Yes, it is,” the Chinese woman replied calmly, already appearing perfectly resigned to the situation.
“Are you sure? Since when have you known?”
“I started to suspect the day we traveled. I blamed myself throughout the entire mission for not saying anything to you. But I wanted to be sure.”
Leon laughed and pulled her into a tight hug.
“Never do that again.”
“Do you want the baby?”
“Honey... Of course I want to. But I need to know that you want it too,” Leon pulled back, caressing her face.
“I want it. It’s our baby. I’d keep it even if I were still in my old life.”
Leon laughed once more, pure happiness overflowing in his voice, and wrapped his arms around her waist as they kissed.
******
“I'll get her for you,” Leon said.
Ada got up from his lap, setting aside the book she had been reading and unbuttoning her shirt and nursing bra.
“Hey, sweetie,” Leon smiled at his daughter, who stopped crying for a moment when he lifted her out of the stroller where she had been sleeping. “Do you need Mommy now?”
Her small blue and almond-shaped eyes narrowed as Amy began to cry again, even though her father was rocking her gently, just the way he knew she liked.
“A fralda tá seca,” Leon confirmou, pondo a bebê com cuidado nos braços de Ada, e sentando-se no chão para acariciar os cabelos castanhos escuros da filha enquanto Ada se apoiava no braço do sofá para amamenta-la.
The girl fell silent as she ate, being doted on by her parents. Leon rested his head on his wife’s lap, a radiant smile playing on his face. Ada reached out with her free hand to stroke his hair, mirroring that same smile. They were living a life free of missions for the time being, dealing only with the bureaucratic hustle of their jobs. The department had agreed to give Leon two weeks off and keep him on desk duty for a month, in recognition of the overtime he had put in over the preceding months. Helena, Sherry, Claire, Chris, and Jill frequently stopped by to see or help them, acting as the family the couple had never had. Now, they also wore matching silver bands on their left ring fingers, and Ada could move around the city with him without major concerns.
“I’ve been facing a dilemma since she came into our lives.”
Ada looked at him, signaling him to continue.
“All these years since Raccoon City... I fight, fight, and fight, but nothing changes. And I hate it so much! I feel so tired. But with her here, I'm sure I need to keep going.”
“We need to. We’ve inflicted heavy losses on Umbrella’s spawn over the last few years. That at least buys us time to live in peace during the early part of her life. If we keep up our efforts... Maybe she can grow up a bit before we have to worry about this in a critical way again.”
“If there is someone up there listening... May the heavens hear what you said.”
Ada smiled, playing with the golden strands in her hand.
“We’re still here, right? Despite everything. I tend to think we’re really good at surviving, or just very lucky. But the world hasn’t ended yet, even after everything that’s happened. Who knows... Is there anyone listening?”
“I just wanted her to be able to grow up in a safe world, one less cruel and unjust,” Leon said, standing up to pull out the sofa bed and sitting down beside the two of them.
Ada settled against him as her husband draped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her hair.
“That’s what we’re here for. To keep the world as safe as possible for her. It’s been a long time since I lost my mother, and I don’t remember if I ever believed in all the beautiful things most people cling to in order to survive, but I have a lot to live for. And I'll always protect that.”
In the tender and moved look Leon gave her, she saw a glimpse of her rookie cop, and let him kiss her.
“I trust you,” he said, smiling and hugging them both, feeling moved as Amy's tiny feet stirred against his arm.
Ada returned the smile.
