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After Chris’s Hound Wolf Squad had arrived, shortly followed by members of the DSO, FBI, and the media, Leon had stayed behind a bit longer than strictly necessary to help.
He had spent a good chunk of time standing by the ambulance, making sure Grace wasn’t in immediate danger. Thankfully which she wasn’t, as Gideon hadn’t hit any vital organs, and the medic had stopped the bleeding relatively quickly. He then reluctantly gave into letting the medic take a quick at look at him, before offering to assist the team in making sure they didn’t miss anything important in the remains of ARK.
They managed to find the three remaining vials of Elipis, but his battle with Gideon had done quite the number on the place, reducing it to mostly unstable platforms, and sparking wires. Most of the consoles had been severely damaged, and after an hour of looking, the Hound Wolf Squad hadn’t found anything of interest, calling Leon to come back up from the lower levels he had been searching, and head back outside.
When he came back out, one of the DSO members offered him a ride to their nearest office, which he declined, saying he had plans to hitch a ride back to the New York office. They weren’t exactly pleased with his answer, but didn’t give any pushback, just telling him to make sure he confirms his location as soon as he lands.
He had given Sherry a call, and stopped by to check on Grace, who seemed to be in much better spirits once he told her of his idea to save Emily. He would have to work out the details, but he assumed the team already had plans to secure Rodes Hill, and was pretty sure Chris owed him a favor for a ruined vacation or two. He made his way over to the ‘work station’ the Hound Wolf Squad had sent up, and began discussing what came next for him and Grace after all the dust had settled.
Making sure Grace was taken care of, and not handed off to the wrong people, was one of his main priorities. She was strong, a hell of a lot braver than most people in her position, and had proven herself to be a fighter. Still, knowing she would be getting a personal escort back to the FBI’s office by two of Chris’s guys, made him feel much more at ease.
Leon trusted them with keeping her safe, and as he headed towards the helicopter, he left her with a plan to set up a rescue for Emily, his personal number, and a promise to talk soon. Before he could follow after the other members of the Hound Wolf Squad, Grace had pulled him into a sudden, and slightly awkward hug, that she immediately began apologizing for.
“I am so sorry, I don’t know why I–” she quickly pulled away, stammering over her words, but he cut off her rambling by giving her shoulder a firm squeeze.
“Grace, breathe.” He said, his tone gentle, but firm. Her mouth clicked shut, and she nodded stiffly, “It’s fine, I get it, trust me.”
Grace took a long, shaky breath, “It’s just,” her hands clenched at the blanket around her, shifting in her spot, “it’s over, right? This is it, we’re safe now?”
He wanted to tell her yes, that everything was going to be alright, and that she didn’t have anything to worry about anymore. But he knows that isn’t how this works, that after you get sucked into this kind of thing, the nightmare never really ends.
“I’m gonna make sure you’re taken care of,” he tells her, “no matter what comes next, you’ll have me looking out for you and Emily both, yeah?”
It wasn’t anywhere close to the amount of comfort or reassurance she deserved after the hell she went through, but it was the best he could offer and guarantee for her.
And by the way her shoulders relaxed, it had worked, even if just a little bit.
Behind them, a voice called out, “Kennedy,” Tundra yelled, leaning out of the open doors of the helicopter, “if you want a ride, we gotta get moving now!”
“Be there in a minute!” He shouted over his shoulder, before looking back at Grace, “You call me if you need anything, yeah?”
Grace nodded, “I will, thank you again, Leon, for everything.”
“No need to thank me,” He said, slowly walking backwards towards the helicopter, “I couldn’t have done it without you saving me after all.”
Grace stood there, a small smile on her face as she pulled the shock blanket a little tighter around herself. Leon gave her one last wave, then began jogging over towards where Tundra was waiting.
He ignored the hand that was offered to him, and climbed into the helicopter by himself.
“Captain told us to be careful with you,” she said, sounding distinctly amused as she closed the doors, “no need to show off.”
Leon let out a small chuckle as he buckled himself into the seat, “Aw, how else am I supposed to earn my own codename?”
Tundra didn’t respond to his joke, and instead focused on securing the tactical case that contained the remaining Elpis vials. “These three are all that were left?”
He nodded, “Zeno used one, I used one, and Gideon grabbed a vial... it must’ve been destroyed in the fight.” He said, offering her a small shrug. Tundra let out a small hum, but didn’t seem surprised.
“Well, I’m sure Dr.Chambers would’ve preferred more samples to work with, but it’ll work.” She said, shouting something towards the cockpit, and settling into the seat across from him.
“So Agent Kennedy,” she said, finally pulling down her mask, “what’s this ‘favor’ you wanted to ask for?”
-
It was just past one in the morning on October tenth, when the helicopter carrying Leon from the ruins of ARK, touched down on the roof of the DSO’s New York office.
Sherry had met him up there, running across the roof, and pulling him into a hug, not caring as the day's worth of sweat, dirt, and blood stained her blouse. He hugged her back tight, something, just a few hours prior, he feared he might never do again.
“You made it.” She said, letting out a deep sigh, tucking her chin over his shoulder, something she hadn’t done since she was small enough for him to carry her.
“Of course I did,” he replied, patting her on the back, “I promised I wouldn’t do anything stupid after all.”
Rebecca was next to make an appearance, having driven when she learned that they had found a cure. She had paused briefly to talk with one of Chris’s guys, Lobo, who Leon thinks is what the man called himself, and took the case containing the rest of the Elipis samples. She then made her way over to him and Sherry, offering him a bright smile.
“Good work Leon,” Rebecca told him, giving him a once-over for any obvious injuries, before turning to Sherry, “Come on, let's get you fixed up too.”
She had led them inside, and down to the medical lab, where the staff, both DSO and Rebecca’s, scrambled around as they finished getting their equipment up and running.
He let out a low whistle, “They really let you take over, huh?”
“Higher ups are calling this a ‘collaborative effort’,” she replied, opening up one of the exam rooms and motioning them in, “investigation may have been under DSO jurisdiction, but we’re better equipped for replicating the cure.”
As Rebecca got Sherry settled on the examination table, two doctors came in and tried to direct Leon away from the wall he had planted himself against, and towards the decontamination showers.
“I’ll go in a sec.” He said, ignoring them in favor of looking at the state of Sherry’s own bruising. It was nowhere near as bad as his had been, but he could see it starting to creep over the edge of her glove.
She caught his staring and rolled her eyes, “Leon, go clean up,” Sherry said, huffing at him as she took off the glove, tossing it in the trash, “I’m fine, and you’re filthy.”
“I can wait a few minutes.” He shrugged, eyeing the vial of Elpis as Rebecca prepped it. The two doctors stood awkwardly in the doorway, exchanging glances with each other, obviously not keen to argue with the DSO agent, then looked to Rebeeca, who let out a snort.
“Don’t bother, he’s not going anywhere until she’s taken care of,” She said, waving them off, “I’ll make sure he showers. Why don’t you two contact Dr.Miller to let her know we got a cure here, and to get Agent Valentine and Oliveria’s butts over here ASAP.”
The two took the dismissal, and headed back out into the central part of the lab. Leon turned his attention back to Sherry, who had begun rolling up her sleeve for the injection.
“Need me to hold your hand?” He offered, earning him a glare from her.
“You’re ridiculous.” She told him, resisting her head against the wall as she closed her eyes, sticking her uncovered hand in his direction. He smiled, moving off the wall to take it, making sure to leave enough room for Rebecca to work.
Leon watched silently as she took out the extra samples, plugging one into what he assumed was some sort of synthesizer, before turning towards them with the other.
“Ready?” She asked.
Sherry gave his hand a small squeeze, “Ready.”
He squeezed back, watching her face as Rebecca injected it into her shoulder. Sherry’s brows scrunched up, only for a moment, before her face quickly smoothed out into an expression that could only be described as relief.
“Holy shit–” she said, watching as the black bruising faded back into pale skin, “that felt–”
“Pretty great, huh?” He said, giving her a small smile. Sherry nodded, flexing her hand and turning it over.
“Yeah,” she agreed, turning to him with a soft grin, and pulling him into a hug, “thank you Leon.”
“Of course,” he said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, then looked to Rebecca, who was hunched over looking at the synthesizer, “that sample going to be enough?”
She hummed, tapping her fingers against the desk, “From the looks of it, yes. We should have a few copies ready to go by the time Jill and Carlos get here.” She said with a smile.
Sherry looked up, chewing anxiously on her lip, “Claire?”
Rebecca let out a quiet huff, “Chris got a message from Terrasave saying she ran off a few days ago looking for her own version of a cure.”
“Of course she did,” Leon said, unsurprised; neither of them had ever shied away from a supposed suicide mission after all.
“He left two days ago to chase after her,” she said, explaining Chris’s absence back at ARK, stepping away from the desk to stretch, turning to give Sherry a reassuring smile, “don’t worry, she was progressing about the same rate you were, I’ll get in contact to return back to base.”
Leon felt himself relax at her words; he and Sherry were fixed, and soon Claire, Jill, and Carlos would get their dose as well. He could head home, and everyone would be on the mend.
“And while I do that. . .” Rebecca said, reaching into one of the supply boxes, “You can go get cleaned up.”
She shoved a clear package into his chest, which he saw contained a bottle of medical-grade soap, a disposable sponge, and a set of paper scrubs. He glanced at the package, then to the doctors outside waiting by the decontamination shower, and then at Rebecca.
“Don’t suppose you’d let me get away with using the employee showers?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
Rebecca pursed her lips, “Leon, that would be breaking prot–”
“I got sprayed down when I went into ARK, and whatever spreadable thing I might have been carrying got cleared out by Elpis,” he said, nodding to where the vial sat in the synthesizer. “I’ll wash up this stuff, I promise. You know I’m not going to risk spreading anything. But I’ve had enough of being a medical curiosity for the day, and I’d rather do this... privately.”
Rebecca stared at him with an uncertain look, weighing the risks, and sighed, “Fine,” she said reaching back in the box, “you know the drill, twenty minutes in the shower minimum, seal your clothes and anything else you have on you, and send them back down here to be sanitized or burned.”
“Thank you.” He said, taking the other package as she handed it to him.
“I’m serious about sending your stuff back,” she said crossing her arms, “word gets out decontamination protocol got broken, and it’s my head Chris is coming after!”
“Well, we can’t have that, can we?” he said, tucking both of the packages under his arm, then turning to Sherry, “You gonna be all set?”
She nodded, rubbing her arm where Rebecca had injected her, “I should be, I’m going to wait around here for Claire to arrive.”
“Do you want me to–” He began, only to meet with a playful glare.
“Go home, Leon,” she said, hopping down from the table, “everything is fine, I promise I’ll call you if anything happens.”
Leon stared at her for a moment, mildly chastised, before letting out a defeated sigh and pulling her in for a hug.
“Text me when you’re home,” he said.
“I will,” Sherry said, squeezing his arms, stepping back to look up at him, “try to get some rest.”
He nodded, before looking at Rebecca, “Tell Claire I said hi.”
Rebecca glanced up from her laptop, “Anything I should tell Chris?”
Leon shrugged as he headed towards the door, “Tell him a quicker response would be appreciated next time.”
Her laugh echoed behind him as he walked out.
-
The showers at the DSO office were small, and never got more than lukewarm, turning cold after about ten minutes of scrubbing, but they worked well enough in terms of helping Leon get all the grime and gunk off of his body. The soap and other products Rebecca gave him makes his skin slightly tingly, and his hair feeling dry afterwards, but they did their job in leaving him clean and smelling vaguely like a hospital.
Leon followed Rebecca’s directions mostly as she had explained them, though he had ditched the paper scrubs for the spare clothes he had left in his locker. A spare t-shirt, black cargo pants, a decent jacket, plus his gym shoes and some extra socks, things that would be enough to keep him warm until he got home.
He had packaged up most of his stuff before getting into the shower, thankfully he wasn’t super attached to his clothes, and his weapons had already been collected upon his arrival. He checked his old pants pockets again just to be safe, finding them empty, then packing them up for Rebecca’s team.
Thankfully, Leon wasn’t particularly attached to anything he was turning over, as the clothes were most likely going to the incinerator.
Leon twisted on his ring, which had been tucked into his pocket upon his arrival to go unnoticed by the agents milling about. Technically a breach in decontamination protocol, but what Rebecca, or rather Chris, didn’t know, wouldn’t kill them.
He opened up his locker, reaching for the lockbox stuffed behind his emergency bag. He opened it and reached for the spare holster, clipping it on to sit underneath his jacket, before grabbing his old scratched Matilda that sat inside.
He still had a long night ahead of him, and while he might’ve been out of Raccoon City, he still wasn’t home. Leon knew that rarely were things truly over, and needed to be prepared for any more incidents the night might throw at him.
He closed his locker, a bit more forcefully than necessary, walking out as the noise reverberated off the walls of the bathroom.
Leon was met by one of Rebecca’s workers as soon as he exited the bathroom, offering to take the wrapped bundle of clothing and shower supplies from him. He passed it off with a thanks, and told them to give Rebecca his best, before heading down the hall.
Leon had become familiar with the DSO’s New York office since he requested the transfer a few years earlier, and knew he’d have to pass by Chief Emory’s office on his way out. He had hoped that the man had left for DC, or that he could pass by unnoticed, and head out.
But of course, Leon could never be afforded a moment of peace by his job.
“Kennedy! Come here.” A gruff voice had called from the open office door. Leon had sighed, taking a moment to contemplate how much trouble he’d be in if he just bolted, before turning on his heel and heading to the office.
“Yeah?” Leon said, leaning against the door frame. Emory was hunched over his desk, looking over a stack of papers before glancing up at him.
“Are you heading out?” He asked.
Leon nodded, “If that’s allowed.” He said sarcastically.
Emory rolled his eyes, “Yes, but HQ wants you in DC by noon Monday, don’t be late.”
Leon laughed tiredly, “A whole two days of vacation, you’re too generous.” Two days was a stretch considering the drive ahead of him; he’d be lucky to be home before the sun was up.
“You’re lucky they’re giving you the weekend considering you and Birkin don’t have any life-threatening injuries,” Emory said, crossing his arms.
“Anymore,” Leon said, thinking about how just hours earlier the two of them were marked for death, “though I suppose it’s good to know you’ll let me rest if I die.”
Emory doesn’t laugh at his joke, “Do you need a ride to your apartment? I can get an agent to drop you off.”
Leon pushed off the door frame, waving off the offer, “No thanks, I’ll manage.”
“Remember, noon Monday, don’t be late, Kennedy.” Emory shouted after him.
Leon chuckled as he walked down the hall, “Wouldn’t dream of it sir!” He called back.
Leon left the DSO building without further issue, stepping outside the gates, and onto the busy street. It was cold and damp, and Leon watched silently as the people on the street walked past, illuminated by the glow of the billboards. It reminded him uncomfortably of Wrenwood before it descended into chaos.
A group of men stumbling home from the bar, a woman in nurse's scrubs, a woman with a baby in one arm, and a suitcase in the other, loading her things into the back of a taxi. The normalness of it all seemed odd, seeing the way people moved about, unaware of the horrors that had occurred just a few cities away. He had spent so long playing hero, that standing in the midst of what he was protecting, he felt out of place in all of it.
A ghost among thousands, there but never apart.
Leon was broken away from his thoughts by a taxi honking as it pulled up beside him, the cabby rolling down his windows as he came to a full stop.
“You looking for a ride, mister?” He asked, chewing on a piece of gum.
Leon took a beat to consider, before nodding, “Yeah, I am, thanks.” He said, opening the door and sliding into the spot behind the driver's seat.
“No problem,” the cabby said, pulling out onto the main road, “where to?”
Leon hummed in consideration, his fingers tapping against the door.
“You know any car rental places?”
-
Two hours later, Leon sat in the driver's seat of a fifteen-year-old sedan that smells too strongly of air freshener, and struggles slightly against the worn pavement of the rural roads he takes.
The car he ended up with had been the only available, but the half-awake clerk had assured him that it was perfectly safe, even if every few minutes the car would shake, or let out a suspicious noise the guy at the rental place definitely hadn’t warned him about. But Leon didn’t care, even if he was getting scammed out of 50 dollars a day with the piece of crap he was driving. Because all the bumps and shakes meant one thing.
He was almost home.
That had been the thought that pushed him to skip stopping at his safehouse for the night, that made him swing through a drive-thru for some shitty burnt coffee to keep him awake, that he repeated over and over as exhaustion settled deep into his bones.
And now as he turned off the pavement and down the dirt road, he was finally there.
As Leon drove through the trees, he caught a glimpse of the red light of one of the security cameras peering back at him. He had originally wanted to put up more intense security measures outside, like a gate or some floodlights, but his idea had been rejected. Something about how things like that would draw notice and questions from neighbors or noisy locals. While he had been hesitant in the beginning, he was now grateful for the more subtle but intense modifications they had settled on.
He was glad of course not to have to deal with any sort of codes or alarms that might have delayed him any further, but more importantly, it made the place feel like an actual house. Not his work-assigned apartment, not one of his sparse safehouses, but home.
That had been the goal afterall, for it to be a small place of normalcy in a world where they were rarely afforded it. Leon remembers the hours spent looking over listings, thinking about how to keep this little haven secret and safe from the ever-prying eyes.
That sanctuary had ended up being a farmhouse tucked away in the forest of Connecticut, about a ten minute drive away from a small coastal town with a population less than three thousand. It had faded green paint that looked nearly grey, white trim that became more and more chipped after every winter, and a large yard that needed a special mower to be able to keep it maintained.
It’s something he never thought he’d get, that he’d die on a mission, or be forced to retire to some government approved living facility before he ever even got to consider actually buying a house. But it was real, and as he pulled into the driveway, Leon couldn’t help but think that it was perfect.
It was quiet as Leon got out of the car, the sound of the door shutting echoing across the trees. The house was completely dark, seemingly blanketed by the night sky that was now beginning to edge from black to blue. As Leon approached the house, he glanced up at the window he knew was connected to the bedroom, looking for any signs of movement.
He didn’t see any, but the truck was still parked over by the fence. He began to shift his gaze over to the next window, when the front door suddenly opened.
Standing on the porch a few feet away from him, is Ada. She’s dressed in a red sweater and a pair of black sleep pants. She’s leaning casually against the door frame, the lines under her eyes crinkling a bit as a small smile dances upon her lips. She crosses her arms as she looks at him, the ring on her left hand glinting in the moonlight.
She’s the perfect image of relief after days in hell.
“You made it back.” She said, from the tone of her voice, Leon can’t tell if she sounds surprised or not, but knows she sounds undoubtedly happy.
He jogged towards her, stopping at the base of the steps, and looking up at her with a smile.
“You miss me?” He asked.
Ada cocked her head to the side, “Where’s the Porsche?”
Leon let out a deep sigh, tipping his head back at the reminder. It’s not the first car he’s lost, and it was technically still in one piece. Though he doubted she’d be impressed by the answer of ‘left in zombie infested nuclear ruins’.
“Not impressed by my new ride?” He asked, motioning to the car behind him.
Ada’s eyes flicked over to it, before returning to Leon, “I’m impressed you managed to get it here without the bumper falling off.”
“Everyone’s a critic,” he huffed, “well if it’s any consolation, I did bring you home a present.”
Ada silently watched him reach into one of the pockets of his cargo pants, pulling out the last original vial of Elipis, raising her eyebrows in surprise.
“Is that–?” she began, and Leon nodded.
“A cure, found it stored under Raccoon City–” Leon lifted his hand to show the cleared skin, “it got me fixed up pretty quick.”
Ada stepped off the porch and over to Leon, taking his hand in hers. Her thumb traced over his pulse point as she looked him over for any signs of infection.
“You did it.” She said, eyes widening ever so slightly as she looked back up at his face.
“Of course,” he said, offering her a lopsided smile, “couldn’t leave you hanging after all.”
Ada’s lips pursed into a smile at his words, her shoulders shaking with a laugh she refused to give him, as she moved her hand from Leon’s wrist to his waist, and pulled him closer.
“Well done.” She said, leaning up to bring him into a kiss.
It wasn’t overly long or passionate, but it still worked to melt the tension in Leon’s body all the same. He steadied himself with a hand on her hip, grounding himself as his lips pressed against hers. It was gentle and soft, not a reward, but a welcome home.
After a moment she pulled back, Leon chasing after lips only for a second before getting a hold of himself. Ada looked up at him with a hum.
“Everything back there taken care of?” She asked, examining the vial of Elpis curiously.
Leon nodded, “There were extras, one for me, one for Sherry, and one for Rebecca to synthesize for the others,” he said, holding up the vial for her see, “found this one in the ruins of the lab, figured it best to hold on to it then try and explain why I needed to take some of the new samples.”
Ada’s eyes twinkled mischievously, “Never thought I’d see the day Leon Kennedy got involved in virus smuggling.”
Leon rolled his eyes, he’d spent nearly an hour digging through the gunk that was once Victor Gidon to find it, he’d call it his fair and square.
“I think I can make an exception this once,” he said, reaching up to gently tug down the collar of Ada’s sweater, looking at her own bruising that was hidden underneath, “and looks like I got here just in the knick of time.”
His hands began to shake slightly as he traced the bruising that crept up significantly more since he had left just a few days prior. Ada looked mostly fine, if not a little thinner and paler, but he knew the pain was much worse than it looked, and what could have happened if he had failed.
Ada took his hand in hers, bringing it to her lips as she pressed a kiss to his knuckles, lips warm and alive against his skin.
“Leave it to you to save the day.” She said, Leon feeling her lips twitching into a small smile against his skin, before pulling away, hands still clasped together.
“Well I can't take all the credit,” he said with a shrug, “I had some help.”
“Oh?” She said, tilting her head curiously, “Sounds like a great story for later.”
It would be, Leon had a feeling Ada would love Grace, and would tease the shit out of him for playing hero again, but all that could wait.
In that moment, all that mattered was being home.
“In the morning?” He asked.
“In the morning,” Ada agreed, leading him up the steps, “come on hun, let's get this taken care of.”
Leon followed her inside the house, which looked pretty much the same as it had when he left. Same jackets on the hooks, same shoes by the door, the keys to the truck still sitting in the bowl on the hall cabinet.
As Ada headed into the living room, Leon paused to take off his shoes, setting them on the mat next to a pair of Ada’s boots.
He moved to follow after Ada, only to freeze when he noticed the small form on the couch.
He and Ada shared a glance, her tapping a finger against her lips in a ‘shh’ motion. Leon nodded, stepping back to take off his jacket and holster, locking them away in the closet by the front door.
Stepping back into the living room, Leon kneeled down next to the couch to look at his daughter.
He could barely see Peyton with the way she had the blanket tucked up to her chin, but Leon could make out the peaceful look on her face as she reached up to gently brush the hair away from her eyes. She didn’t react; the only movement coming from the slow rising and falling of her chest.
She was seven now, but Leon still remembers staying up long into the night, watching and worrying, afraid that movement might suddenly stop.
He leaned over, careful not to wake her, and pressed a kiss to Peyton’s forehead. Her brows scrunched ever so slightly, before smoothing back out as she slept.
Leon smiled, turning to look at Ada, “How’s she been?”
Ada’s lips pursed into a thin line as she sat on the loveseat across from them, “She’s been herself, for the most part,” Ada said with a shrug, “following her schedule, reading, playing outside.”
“But?” Leon asked, because despite reassurances that Peyton was growing perfectly normally, every slight change felt like it might induce a heart attack.
“I think she could tell something was wrong,” Ada sighed, “she’s been more attached, has been trying to stay up and sleeping down here with me.”
Leon quietly cursed to himself, and glanced back at Peyton. The two of them had been trying to hide everything to the best of their abilities since they realized what was happening, not wanting to worry her about what was going on with them.
Though that might’ve just been a foolish hope. The two of them had known ever since Peyton had come into their lives that they’d never be able to give her a normal childhood, that trying to hide the reality of their lives, and the dangers of the world they lived in would only come to bite them in the ass in the end. They wanted her to be ready, to be protected, to know how to face whatever monstrosities might come after their family.
But still, above all else, they wanted her to be happy.
The choice for Leon to be the one to go and try to find a cure hadn’t been an easy one, or much of a choice at all in reality. He had been progressing faster than Ada, and was called in by the DSO to investigate bodies exhibiting similar symptoms, giving him an in to search with official backup.
So they had decided that Ada would stay, that way if he didn’t make it back she could begin planning her next move, or in a worst-case scenario, making arrangements to find someone to take care of Peyton.
They didn’t have a lot of options in that situation, limited in people they could fully trust to take care of her. That had been one of the main things driving him so hard over the past forty-eight hours, keeping him going even when his body wanted to give out.
The thought of what would happen to Ada without a cure, and Peyton alone with neither of them to protect her, it hurt worse than any bump or bruise.
“Leon,” Ada said, breaking him out of his spiral, “come here.”
Leon stood, ignoring the ache in his knees as he did so, and moved over towards Ada, plopping down next to her. Ada scooted closer, her side pressed against his, as she reached up and began running her fingers through his hair. Sharp nails scratching against his scalp soothingly.
“Don’t go quiet on me now hun,” she said, tilting her head to look him in the eyes, “you did it, we’re all going to be fine.”
Leon took a long shaky breath, looking to where Peyton slept, to the vial in his hand, closing his eyes and focusing on his breathing. He needed to get out of his head and focus on what mattered in the moment. Peyton was sleeping just a few feet away, Ada’s warmth next to him, the fact that he was home.
When he felt his breathing finally even out, he opened his eyes, and looked to Ada.
“It’s over.” He said, resting his forehead against hers. Ada smiled, ruffling his hair before speaking.
“Almost,” she said, sitting up and motioning to her own bruising, “how about we take care of this and get some rest, since we’ve both been up longer than we should be.”
Leon’s eyes glanced over to the open laptop on the table, “Been keeping an eye on me?”
Ada only rolled her eyes, “Someone has to.”
Leon laughed, but didn’t disagree, instead choosing to nod along as he uncapped the vial of Elpis.
He looked to Ada, holding out his hand, “Ready?” He asked, ready to take care of the disease for good.
She nodded, tugging up the sleeve of her sweater, “More than ready,” she said, letting him take her arm, “let’s get this over with.”
Leon held her arm steady, aiming for the forearm, though he doubted the injection site actually mattered, as Grace hadn’t really been precise when she saved him.
He lined it up, and pushed down, watching as the dose emptied into Ada’s bloodstream.
Like with him and Sherry, the effects were near instantaneous, and he watched as the bruises quickly faded into flesh. Ada didn’t react much during the whole process, but Leon could see the way her eyes followed the receding bruising, and how her breathing seemed to come out just slightly easier.
Ada lifted her arm, expecting it closely, “Quite the miracle worker,” she said, turning to Leon with a small smile, “you really are a hero.”
Leon let out a small chuckle that quickly turned into a yawn, “Well, I think it’s about time this hero went to bed.”
Ada nodded, her own eye bags more pronounced in the low lamp light of the living room, “I think it’s time we all got into bed.” She said, standing up, and moving towards the couch. She leaned down to pick up Peyton, but Leon stopped her.
“I can do it.” He said, placing the now empty vial in the trash, making a note to properly dispose of it in the morning. Ada paused, turning to look at him.
“You sure? I don’t mind if you’re tired.” She offered.
“No it’s fine, I–” Leon shifts awkwardly where he stands, “I want to do it.”
Want to was underselling it a bit, need to was closer to what Leon was actually feeling after spending the past days thinking he might never see his daughter again. Ada had teased him before about how attached and overprotective he was, as if she didn’t do the same in her own ways, but he doubted she was going to deny him now.
And so with a playful look, she relented, stepping closer to him to press a kiss to his cheek, “I’m going to reset the alarms, then I’ll meet you in the bedroom, okay?”
Leon nodded, giving her hand a quick squeeze, before letting go to allow her to walk off. He turned to Peyton, who had managed to stay asleep during the whole affair.
He leaned down and scooped her up, ignoring the way his bones ached as he did so. She wasn’t heavy, but he had been choked, shot at, and thrown around like a ragdoll over the course of the last forty-eight hours, and his body was definitely feeling it. But all despite the aches and pain, Leon would be damned if he didn’t get to hold his daughter after surviving that hell.
She’s not as warm as Ada, but her presence is a relief all on its own, a solid pressure in his arms that keeps him grounded, even as his knees protest. Her head lolls against his chest, completely relaxed, her long black hair tickling his arm as he makes his way towards the stairs.
It’s not until he’d made his way to the top, and goes to open her door, that Peyton stirs. Slowly blinking awake, blue eyes barely opening to look at him.
“Daddy…?” She asked, voice tired, and muffled by where her face is pressed against his chest. She’s half awake, in a way that he doubts she’ll remember any of this in the morning. Still, he smiled at her.
“Hey baby,” he said, voice low, “I missed you.”
Peyton was already falling back asleep, but reached a small hand up to clutch the front of his shirt.
“Missed you too…” she said letting out a yawn, “so did mommy.”
Leon chuckled quietly, already thinking about how he was going to use that against Ada as he set Peyton down on her bed.
He tucked Peyton in, sitting on the edge of the bed as he pulled the covers tight around her, grabbing the bear stuffie Ada had gotten her from the floor, placing it next to her.
“I love you.” He said, and leaned down to press a kiss against the crown of her head. Peyton didn’t reply, already fast asleep, but it was okay; Leon was just happy to say it.
He stood to leave, heading towards the door, going to give Peyton one last glance, then stopped dead in his tracks.
The sight of Peyton, so still and unmoving, reminded Leon of Emily, limp as she lay bleeding out on the chapel floor, Grace begging him for help.
It was an odd thought, Peyton and Emily looked nothing alike, lived so different lives, had never even met, hell he’d barely even met Emily, but the thought still came, and it had hit him like a bucket of cold water.
He remembers learning the truth about Emily from Zeno’s rant to Grace, about the girls, dozens of them just like her, tortured, experimented on, and disposed of like garbage. Children grown in labs for the sole purpose of living short, painful lives.
He can’t help but think of them as he looked at Peyton, about what might’ve happened if they never found her, what might’ve happened to her if he hadn’t found a cure for them both, what still might happen in the future.
Leon realized suddenly that his hands were shaking, and that his chest felt tight. He felt panic bubbling uncomfortably in the back of his throat, and he had to force himself to calm down, lest he have a total breakdown in his daughter’s bedroom.
Leon knew realistically that nothing bad would’ve happened, that Peyton would’ve been fine if he left her. But in that moment, Leon didn’t want to leave her there. After all the horrors of the past days, all he wanted was to go to bed knowing that both of his girls were alive, and well, and there.
It was childish, and probably a little pathetic, but Leon didn’t care. He scooped Peyton back up into his arms, keeping her wrapped tight as he carried her towards his and Ada’s bedroom.
When he entered, Ada was sitting on the bed in her pajamas. She looked up at him, looking unsurprised at the sight of their daughter in his arms.
“Well, isn’t this nice?” she said, pulling back the covers so Leon could set Peyton down next to her, “can’t remember the last time this happened.”
Leon hummed in agreement, trying to remember the last time all three of them were together like that. His mind failed to provide anything helpful, so instead he focused on grabbing the first pair of sleep clothes he found in the dresser, and heading into the bathroom to change.
He made quick work of brushing his teeth and washing up, only pausing to read the next Sherry sent him, confirming Claire had arrived, and that the two would be spending the night together at her apartment.
He replied with a thumbs up, before shutting off his phone and placing it face down on the counter. He was officially off the clock.
He stepped back out into the bedroom, making out the shapes of Ada and Peyton in the dark, and slipped in next to them.
“Hey,” Ada said, looking at him from over Peyton’s head.
“Hey,” Leon said back, arm reaching over so he could hold both of them. Ada scooted closer, and reached up to cup the side of his face.
“Everything good, hun?” She asked, voice quiet and tired, but still tinged with a bit of concern.
Not that he could’ve blamed her, they had both almost died, and he had been far from his best mentally. There was always that fear of what comes next, what fallout this mission would have on the next, how the world of bioweapons would change in the morning, what horrors they’ll face next.
But there, with his family, Leon didn’t have to think about all that. There, even if temporarily he knew he was safe.
“Of course,” he said honestly, turning his head to press a kiss into the palm of her hand, “I’m home.”