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She came as soon as she heard the gunfire and didn't at all like the sight that greeted her. Leon was on the ground completely and utterly surrounded and she could smell the blood from here.
She cleaned out the infected, but she knew as soon as she laid eyes on him it was a helpless thing. He met her eyes and she knew he understood.
He'd never stood a chance. She crouched down next to him and watched the blood leave him, "I'm sorry Leon..."
"It's ok, was going to happen eventually." He grits out smile still on his face
She shook her head, "Should have helped more, but you'll be fine you're not done yet Kennedy. I'm not just going to let you leave me."
"Yeah?" He asked and she tried to ignore the blood leaking from his mouth.
She didn't answer just bit into his neck and let the venom she always refused to use flood his system. She didn't know how much was necessary never having turned anyone, but she aired on the side of caution.
Once she was done, she pulled away and met dulling eyes. "You'll come back."
"Promise?" He slurred out.
"Can't get rid of me that easily." She confirmed.
Like that he faded away and Ada wanted to scream. It wasn't fair on any account, and she'd never wanted to turn him. She took a breath and reached to grab the earpiece she knew he was wearing and started speaking as she put it in.
"Hunnigan."
The DSO officer was speaking immediately, "Tell me I didn't just hear what the fuck I think I did?" She all but demanded her voice shakier then Ada was sure she intended it to be.
"He won't stay gone, I made sure of it."
Hunnigan knew her deal, in fact the officer was one of the only people in the world who knew about all of it. The list was minuscule and pretty much started and ended with Leon's closest friends.
"Oh Jesus Christ." Hunnigan breathed out.
"We have bigger issues Hunnigan. Like how you're going to have a vampire working for the DSO"
Cursing was her answer as the full implication seemed to hit finally. They would want to dissect him like they had wanted to with Sherry, but probably even more so.
"Is the mission complete?" Hunnigan asked to confirm something she already knew.
"It is, he succeeded." Ada confirmed. The lab had been destroyed, and the data gathered. She had watched it from afar.
"Simple then, he succeeded but got really hurt and sent to the BSAA's closest facility for medical attention."
"Chris could confirm that story." She agreed as she thought it over, "It'll take a week for him to be the Leon you know. So they took him for a week, but something happened, say it was a third party."
"We need to get Chris in on this and come up with a good story."
"Can you patch him in?" Ada questioned as she checked over Leon once more before picking up his limp body and started making her way back towards the compound.
She was going to have a fledgling shortly, and she did not have enough blood in her system to manage one. That was something else she was going to have to bring up.
Moments later Chris was talking, "What? I'm busy."
"It's Leon." Hunningon said without preamble.
"What happened?" Chris immediately pressed hearing the shake in Hunnigan's voice.
"I had to turn him." Ada explained as she repositioned Leon in her hold. He was big and awkward in his dead weight.
"WHAT?!" Chris demanded with sudden vitriol.
"Don't be like that Redfield. I didn't have a choice. It was either this or he was dead permanently."
Silence was his response, and Hunnigan quickly took back control of the situation. "Look we need a cover quickly, Ada says he'll be back up and functioning in a week but until then we need a cover story. So far we've decided to use the BSAA. It's a step away enough we can fudge enough paper so it can work. He was grievously injured and sent to the closest BSAA facility, but a third party got to him during the mission causing this change."
"That could work. I can sign off on enough papers and have my closest people back me up if needed. But the vampire thing, what the hell do you do about that?"
"You monitored him for the week and saw the changes firsthand. You made sure to test, it wasn't a dangerous change, and while he wasn't exactly aware until the later half of the week. Even on instinct alone he posed no threat to anyone." Ada explained breezily.
"Okay...that could work, set the groundwork for a non-dangerous and observed change." Chris agreed as he thought it over.
As Hunnigan and Chris went back and forth on the logistics, Ada called in her extraction. Eventually they got back around to questioning her around the time she put Leon down inside the area to go and hunt down the remaining living scientists.
"So where is he going to be actually?" Hunnigan questioned.
"His apartment, it's familiar and close enough for you to help me out." Ada answered.
"Help you out?" The officer questioned.
"Well I can't drink from Leon anymore. That means I need a reliable source of blood and raising a fledgling requires a lot of blood."
"What would I do then?"
"Bring me blood that's out of shelf life or is just about to be."
"I can do the same." Chris agreed though it sounded reluctant.
"That would be nice but I'm not too inclined to let either of you in the apartment."
That wasn't taken well by Chris in the slightest. "WHY NOT?!"
Ada sighed lightly as she spotted a roaming scientist. She quickly took him down, muffling his scream with a hand.
"Because he wouldn't want you to see him like that. Now talk amongst yourselves as I drain the remaining scientists."
There was quite a bit of arguing from both parties as she drained the few scientists she found. It seemed neither were too pleased with the idea of leaving Leon in her knowledgeable hands for the week. She'd have to fight them about it later however, because as soon as she made her way back over to Leon he was stirring slightly.
"Are you back with me yet rookie?" She asked as she crouched down next to him.
Over the coms she could hear both Chris and Hunnigan asking what was going on, but their concern meant nothing in the face of a stirring Leon.
The man in question blinked dull eyes up at her and she knew she'd miss that vibrant blue more than anything in the world. He was clearly dazed and completely lost but he was awake and it was enough for now.
"Ada..."
She reached out and held his chin to get a better look at the healing injuries and the bite mark she left. "Who else?"
Relieved exhales and thank Gods sounded in the earpiece as she drug him up to his feet. He swayed hard, but she kept him from going back down.
"We have to get out of here." She told him simply as she started leading him to the rendezvous point.
He stumbled over himself but dutifully followed without question. Only once they were in the plane did the bad part start. Leon was shivering violently and Ada was quick to ask what was wrong.
"Cold it's s-so cold."
She was quick to wrap her arms around him and pull him closer. She didn't know what she was doing but instincts were taking over new ones she had never felt before.
"I know it sucks, but you're ok."
"Cold." He continued to mutter under his breath over and over again as he tried to wrap himself around her as much as he could.
The utter and complete silence over the coms told her she wasn't the only one who hated this. It was so unlike Leon it was frightening. She looked at the dried blood that covered him, he healed but she knew how much blood it took to do that. Luckily for him she had enough to share.
She bit into her wrist and his head immediately snapped towards her his pupils dilating like a predators. She offered out her wrist, and he latched onto it a second later with a content little noise.
"Ok, he's feeding that should help." She said partly to herself and partly to the two listening on the coms.
"When will you need the blood?" Hunnigan asks, and it's a shock to her system at how off Hunnigan sounds. The woman is probably one of the most unflappable people Ada had ever been acquainted with. But it seems today is throwing them all for a loop.
"Preferably in the next few days. He's going to need a lot, and I only have so much to give."
"...he isn't just going to drink it from the stuff we bring?" Chris questions.
Ada blinks, it's times like these she realizes that very few people understand the intricacies of vampires. "Of course not, I'm his sire, he drinks from me." It nearly came out in a growl. The mere idea of it coming from anywhere else was insulting.
No one argues instead just asks if he's okay, she tells them he is. It's a peaceful flight the rest of the way and once they land, she leads him to the car waiting for them. From there it's easy to get back to his apartment.
She turns off the com once she confirms they're at his apartment and from there she pushes him into the shower. They're covered in grime and gore, and she wants nothing more than to be clean. Leon all but melts into her in the hot water and it's bizarre to watch. It's still obviously Leon but just slightly to the left, his instincts taking the lead.
After that it's easy to drag him to bed. He’s shivering still, hasn't stopped besides the short period of time in the shower. Luckily for him, he'd bought her an electric blanket for pretty much the same reason. She went snooping around and sure enough it was right where she left it.
Plugging it in and turning it as high as she could, she climbs back into bed and drapes it over them. Sure enough it doesn't take long for his shaking to subside, and the purring that starts up had her frozen heart thaw ever so slightly.
She doesn't know when she falls asleep, but she wakes up to the feeling of biting. It's not hard or painful, just pressure. She blinks down at Leon who's biting at her upper arm. Fangs her brain supplies, he's growing in fangs and is teething. He's also probably hungry, She knows firsthand just how much energy the changes take.
"How are you feeling handsome?”
He just grumbles into her skin and she can't help but smile fondly at him. "I know I know it hurts but you'll be ok."
She sits them up and bites into her arm once more, and like a moth to flame, Leon latches on eagerly and begins to drink. He doesn't stop the soft biting however, and she wonders if there is something better she could give him to chew on.
She didn't know how long he fed, time was nebulous and all she could focus on was making sure her fledgling was happy and taken care of. They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Ada paused her fingers scratching at his scalp and sighed.
She tugged lightly at his hair and on command he let go and licked at the wound. It would not heal it yet he still lacked the coagulants, but it showed that the deep-rooted instinct had already taken hold. She let out a pleased purr before getting up.
He followed after with wide unsure eyes.
"It's ok I'm not leaving, someone's at the door."
He followed after her like a shadow and she couldn't help but find it adorable. Opening the door she was greeted by a worried looking Hunnigan. The officer’s eyes lock onto Leon immediately and to Ada's surprise he doesn't react negatively.
He blinks owlishly but doesn't step away, huh he recognizes her even now.
"Leon?" She sounds hesitant and it's understandable. But like she warned this isn't going to be the Leon they know for a while longer.
Leon says nothing just blinks at her. Ada sighs and eyes the cooler she's dragging behind her. "Come in, we're going to have to figure out how to store this."
Hunnigan does as she is told though her eyes never leave Leon. Ada tells Leon to stay on the couch, he again just blinks at her but does sit down. From there it's easy to pack the blood away into the fridge. It helps that he had pretty much nothing in it besides beer.
"How is he doing?" Hunnigan asks as she shoots another look over her shoulder where he's watching them.
Ada sighs lightly, "He's okay, it's just like I said he isn't going to be his normal self for a while. His whole brain is getting rewired so all he's going off of now is instincts old and new."
Hunnigan hums in acknowledgment
Thankfully, it doesn't take long before they're back in the main area. Leon was shaking again and Ada curses to herself. She turned to grab the heated blanket and froze at the confused and concerned noises that came from Leon.
"It's fine I'll be right back."
Leon didn't seem pleased with that but relaxed again once she came back with the blanket. She threw it over him and plugged it in once more before sitting down. Leon moved over to drape himself across her and near immediately started biting at her again.
Hunnigan just watched on confused, so Ada explained the teeth issue.
oO0Oo
It was hours later when Chris finally made an appearance long after Ada had untangled herself to go and drain a few of the blood bags. Hunnigan let him in and once inside he too couldn't tear his eyes off of Leon. He walked over and reached out to touch, Ada couldn't stop herself from hissing.
Chris flinched back, his eyes going wide.
"No. You're not touching my fledgling.”
Chris paused and eyed Ada with contempt. She just took a breath and collected herself. She wasn't one for uncouth reactions, but Leon wasn't the only one developing new instincts. Well in her case it was more awaking dormant ones, but that was semantics.
“Fledgling…” a scoff, “Jesus what the hell why is it always Kennedy?”
A fair question, Leon does seem to be one of the universe's favorite punching bags. In lieu of an answer Ada just shrugs and runs her fingers through Leon's hair again as he starts biting more intently.
Without much thought she once more bit into her arm, and Leon was quick to grab it and pull it close. Hunnigan and Chris make noises of confusion and intrigue which are ignored in favor of watching Leon.
Neither of the foreign parties seem to be able to tear their eyes off of him and Ada doesn't really understand what's so interesting. Sure, she finds the whole ordeal fascinating, but it's simply due to partaking in something you only ever hear about. Fledglings are raised away from others in private for their protection.
But to the other two this is simply a sacrifice for his continued existence. He's barely even the man they know right now and seeing him like this is probably doing them more harm than good.
She tells them as much. It's not well received. Chris puffs up and Hunnigan sneers softly.
“You do know this isn't going to change for days? The only thing that's going to happen is him growing in the fangs.” She tries another angle.
Hunnigan takes a breath, “Ada I listened to him die. I know you brought him back. I know you knew it would work and I didn't doubt it would…but I still listened to him die.”
Ada considers it and doesn't argue, it's a fair point, and she decides not to point out that she also watched him die.
She can't get rid of them until the next morning, both of them having stayed the night. Chris took the couch and Hunnigan the spare room. Hunnigan had to leave for work and Chris a new mission. Ada was glad to see them go.
Leon had been miserable since last night the fangs causing pain. She'd been woken by his whimpering, and it stung to know there wasn't much she could do. She'd resorted to just massaging his gums in an attempt to give him some relief. It worked though he was still clearly in pain.
The rest of the day goes how she expected it to, much of the same. By the evening Leon lost his canines and she could see the start of the fangs peeking through his gums. By the next afternoon he didn't need her to bite her arm anymore, and secretly she already missed it.
He's still loopy but he's slowly becoming more aware of his situation. Had quite humorously, snapped into focus as he'd licked blood off his lips. He'd blinked hard, his eyes focusing in a way they hadn't in the past few days.
“Ada what…I-” he cut himself off as he stared at the blood on her arm and registered the metallic tang in his mouth. “You, fuck…you turned me.”
She brought up one of her hands and with her thumb wiped the blood off his chin. She moved her thumb up to press into his lips. His pupils dilated once more as he brought the finger into his mouth and sucked the blood off.
She giggled, “How does it taste?”
He blinked a few times still processing, his brain lagging behind. “Good so damn good fuck no wonder you like it.” He answered around her thumb.
She stroked the finger over a fang and hummed, “Fresh is much better, you'll enjoy yourself with that.”
She was losing him again, could see it as the clarity faded. It was a good sign he'd be back up and functional within the next day or so. But until then she was going to enjoy taking care of her fledgling.
Sure enough clarity came and went, and thankfully he didn't seem too freaked out about the whole thing. She supposed it helped she'd been in his life for so long.
oO0Oo
He'd ended up calling Hunnigan at one point, and the utter relief was clear even through the phone. Chris got a similar call and in return Leon got a warning that no one else knew yet. It was something else he'd have to deal with, but that was later. For now, he curled up with Ada and enjoyed what he'd decided was a vacation.
By the end of the week, he was back at 100% hell if he was being honest it was more than that. He could feel the new power he had, nothing like some of the BOWs he'd faced, but enough….more than what he had before.
“It comes naturally.” Ada had muttered into his ear from where she'd leaned down to bite at his neck.
He'd not questioned it far too preoccupied with her atop him, but he'd found quickly that she was right. And he'd been pleasantly surprised by how intuitive it all was. Sure, the lights were brighter than they should be, and the smells more intense, but there were no violent urges.
Though the smell of blood still had baser instincts fight him for control. Ada had admitted it was something he'd learn to control, though there was little to teach it was more experience. He was content enough with his self-control not to worry about it.
He'd walked back into the DSO a week later and was swarmed within seconds. He just sighed and resigned himself to a long day.