Work Text:
If someone had told Grace Ashcroft she would have a friend and an adopted daughter by the end of the year, she would've laughed. But now, she sat in the passenger seat of DSO Agent Leon Kennedy's Porsche with her adopted daughter, Emily, sat innocently in the backseat, coloring in a coloring book Leon's friend? Daughter? Grace wasn't sure- had given Emily.
Today, Leon was in town and told Grace he wanted to take her and Emily to get lunch and just wander, maybe go to the zoo, framing it as fun for Emily, making Grace quickly agree. Some rock song Grace didn't know was playing quietly from the radio, as Leon quietly tapped his fingers on the steering wheel in tune to the song.
“So, how has school been for her? You mentioned she started last month.”
“O-oh! It's been great! She's been loving being there! She's made some friends, and the teacher's had nothing but good to say.” Grace rambled, moving her hands as she spoke, occasionally fixing her glasses.
Leon smiled faintly and nodded along, just listening to her. She reminded him a lot of himself at her age. Excited, but always nervous about saying or doing the wrong thing, even if there WASN'T a wrong thing.
“Wh-what about you and Sherry? Work been okay for the two of you?” She adjusted in her seat slightly to face the older man better.
He hummed quietly in thought. “It's been alright. I think we're both doing better since we don't feel like we're dying now.” He glanced her way, seeing her move her gaze to the dash. He reminded her often that she had, in fact, saved his life, and Sherry's, and she always got quiet, like she didn't think she should be praised for anything pertaining the fact. Leon sighed. “Grace.”
“Hm…?”
“Why don't you like it when I point out the very real fact that you saved my life? Saved Sherry's life. Hell, saved Emily's life.”
Grace's fists clenched and unclenched in her lap before her fingers moved to fidget with the hem of her blouse. “It just feels wrong. I-I was guessing, Leon.. I..I had a hunch, and hoped it was right, y'know...?"
“Hunch or not, Grace. One of these days, you've really gotta let yourself acknowledge the credit that's due.”
Grace just nodded slightly, not quite believing his words. Leon sighed softly but let it go, changing the subject.
—--------------------------------—
The three had finished their lunch, and now they found themselves at the zoo. Emily was perched on Leon's shoulders, a hat Grace had been wearing, now on her head, occasionally kicking her dangling legs as she beamed and looked around at everything.
Grace smiled as she watched Emily. Seeing the joy on the little girl's face was the best thing she could ask for. “What's your favorite animal you've seen, Emily?”
“Hm.. the elephants I think” Emily answered softly, resting her chin on Leon's dirty blonde hair. She looked so peaceful. Leon patted her knee.
“Elephants are a good choice.”
“Grace says that they have really good memory.” Emily kicked her legs a bit again.
“That so?” Leon tipped his head back to look up at Emily, who nodded with a smile, the hat on her head tipping over her eyes.
Grace laughed softly and fixed the hat with a smile. “You're such a smart cookie, Em.”
Emily smiled more, preening at the praise. “Can we go to the park next, Grace?”
“I don't see why not, it's not far from where we are! That sound okay, Leon?”
“Sure. It's probably not a bad idea for her to run around” he shrugged exaggeratedly, making Emily wobble on his shoulders and giggle, holding on tighter even though she knew the older man would never let her fall.
The trio made their way to the park and Leon took Emily off his shoulders. “Be free, have fun.”
“B-be careful!” Grace called after Emily, who was already off and running. She sighed and looked around, finding an empty bench and nodded to it before walking over, Leon following as a large shadow. Grace took a seat and Leon did too, giving a quick glance around. Habit, Grace assumed, after everything he'd been through and done, of course he'd always be on the lookout for danger. It made Grace feel safer, in a way. She had tried to learn what signs to look for, but she would just get anxious and paranoid. So she would let Leon do his subtle scouting, and if he found it okay, she would trust that.
“She's grown up a lot the past year, hm” Leon remarked softly, resting his arm across the back of the bench he and Grace sat on.
“Y-yeah, she has.. It's kinda hard to believe..” Grace kept a careful eye on Emily, fidgeting subtly when she would lose sight of the girl. Leon noticed and gently put his hand on her shoulder, rubbing gentle circles.
“She's alright Grace. Breathe. I promise shes okay.”
Grace forced herself to take a deep breath at Leon's gentle baritone and released the air, resting her nervous hands in her lap.
“There you go… I've gotta admit, you seem less nervous nowadays. I'm proud of you, Grace. You're learning how to calm yourself down." He smiled a little and moved his hand off her shoulder.
She smiled a little, letting her gaze drop to her hands that weren't fidgeting for once, before bringing her eyes back to the playground, her trained eye quickly finding Emily in the thrall of kids in her bright green sweater she'd insisted on wearing for the cats on it. “I think that's all Emily… I-I guess I don't want her to be influenced and grow up like me… An awkward mess I mean..”
Leon frowned slightly. “There's a difference between having anxiety and being an “awkward mess”. And you, Grace Ashcroft, are not an awkward mess. Are you awkward at times, hell yes, are you full of nerves, also yes. But aren't a mess. What you are is extremely intelligent, and probably one of the bravest people I have ever met in my 49 years. Emily would be lucky to grow up to be like you in her own way. But all that to say, I'm happy you're less anxious. You don't seem like you want to crawl out of your skin all the time now. I was worried you would spend the rest of your life that way.”
Grace finally peeled her eyes away from the playground and looked at him. “You really mean that..?” Leon had become one of her biggest inspirations in the past year, alongside Emily of course, and he'd been sort of a mentor in a weird way. His faith in her, his pride in her, it was hard to believe someone could see her in such a compassionate light. “o-of course you do, you don't bullshit, like, ever..” She laughed softly and looked away again. “...th-thank you, Leon.”
“What for? All I did was tell you the truth?” He raised a questioning brow, neatly folding his arms across his chest.
“No, no, y-you’ve done more than that. Y-you've stuck around for me and Emily when you haven't had to. You check in. You became my friend, for crying out loud. So, thank you.”
Leon's expression softened. “That's what friends do, Grace. They stick around.” He nudged her gently, playfully. “Besides, if two shitty viruses can't take me out, something like a damn friendship sure as shit can't. You're stuck with me, Grace.”
Grace snorted and covered her mouth as she laughed and smiled. “Alright, alright, point taken..”
Emily ran over and sat herself on Grace's lap, snuggling close. She somehow now had dirt all over her hands and face, but she was smiling brightly. “I'm done playing, can we please get ice cream, Grace?”
Grace gently wrapped her arms around Emily, hugging her close. “Sure we can, ice cream sounds like a great idea.” She got up, and Emily quickly followed, grabbing her hand tight.
“Come on, Leon, we're getting ice cream now” Emily explained, grabbing his hand too and gently pulling. He let her with a smile and got up. She reminded him of Sherry in a way, just younger.
“Oh yeah, are we? What flavors?” He asked the young girl as the trio began to walk.
“I like strawberry, and Grace likes vanilla. What flavor are you gonna get?”
The trio walked toward the ice cream stand, chatting and smiling about ice cream and other things. Grace smiled widely, staying quiet, but listening. In the span of a year, she'd learned everything about her past that she hadn't, had gained a daughter, and finally had friends. Past Grace would've been terrified and hid back in her shell. Maybe having a friend or two wasn't so bad. Even if one was a child, and one was a 50 year old man.
But Grace realized in that moment just how happy she truly was now. And that made everything worth it. Her mom would be proud of her. That felt good too. She hoped that one day she'd be as amazing of a mom as hers was to her.
Herself, Emily, and Leon had been through hell that night. They had been for years before that too. But somehow, here they stood, hand in hand, walking to get ice cream as though everything was right with the world again. Did hope do that? Grace liked to think so.
So she smiled and ruffled Emily's hair as the girl animatedly spoke to Leon about school.
Yes. All WAS right with the world. And Grace wouldn't have it any other way.