𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞'𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞| ᴀ ʟᴇᴏɴ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ

11. Sirens and Saving

Despite my beatings and the countless interrogations, the days are pretty much the same. There's no clock in the room I'm in, so I have to go by the routines to guess what time it is.  Currently I'm guessing it's late in the evening, I've been fed and given some soap and water to wash with only an hour-ish before, so maybe six or seven PM? I sigh, leaning back against the wall, my hands still bound behind my back since Theodore still guesses I'm a threat. I'm not exactly a threat anymore, I mean I'm too weak to really kill anyone, but I'll still try headbutt anyone who tries anything weird on me. 

All is silent save for the loud echoing footsteps of the soldiers presumably going about their evil work, I can't estimate how close or far away they are due to the fact I don't even know the layout of this place. I remember being knocked out, taken here...and that's it. I close my eyes and try to conjure up some more nice memories of Leon, I've discovered they make me feel a little more like living, so I bring up one of a Valentine's Day dinner he took me to, it was around six months into our relationship but you'd think we were together for longer by the way we adored each other. I get lost in the memory, smiling as I recount the conversation and the meal, the way Leon poured my wine and the fire alarm-

Wait, what? 

My eyes shoot open at the deafening sound of an alarm blaring through the bunker. I wish I could cover my ears with how screeching it is. I look around, eyes wide as a slither of panic consumes me. This is new, and I'm not sure if it's Theodore's doing or someone else's, someone who might be coming to save me. I don't want to get my hopes up in case it's a bad sign, it could be an alarm alerting everyone of an escaped B.O.W, or just a drill of some kind. I sit still, eyes fixated on the door. It suddenly swings open, hitting the wall with a harsh thud as a figure steps in, but it isn't Leon. 

"It seems like Agent Kennedy is hellbent on saving you Y/N. He's not the only one, it seems like he's brought some friends." Theodore muses, walking to me, I bare my teeth at him, looking no doubt animalistic, he just laughs, then grabs my arm with a tight grip, hauling me up. I wriggle, trying to get free. I can't let him take me anywhere else whilst Leon's busy, if I disappear now, I disappear for good. I go dead weight, not holding myself up at all as Theodore drops me to the ground, cursing at my insolence. I smile to myself, feeling giddy with anticipation, I'm more than ready to be free of this place and see Leon again, then depending on how things are going outside maybe we can be free at last. "Get up!" Theodore yells desperately, eyes for once full of worry. He suddenly grabs my ankles, then begins to drag me across the floor, out of the room as I writhe and kick, but the man's got a strong grip. I whimper, feeling that tug to Leon wrap around me like a vice. 

My efforts are futile, Theodore begins to haul me through a maze of corridors until we approach some kind of elevator, with signs pointing up to the surface. I shake now, I'm moments away from losing my freedom forever. 

"Theodore!" A familiar and very pissed off sounding voice rings out, "Let her go. Now." Leon grits out. Theodore stiffens, dropping me as he turns. I lift my head, seeing Leon holding a gun up, pointing at Theodore. His eyes glance to me, but then they lift back to Theodore, there's nothing but pure, unadulterated rage there. "Let's end this."

Theodore bursts out into a laugh, then in a move neither of us anticipated he pulls out a gun, aiming it at the back of my head as he steps away from me, willing to end my life to save his own, yet again. "Oh Mr Kennedy, didn't you know it's a crime to threaten homeland security?" 

Leon's lips lift a little as he tilts his head in a 'what can you do' motion. "And it's also a crime for you to attempt to murder two government agents, kill hundreds of people and use bio-organic weapons." Leon retorts a little playfully. Theodore's smile fades, but Leon isn't done. "They're crimes you're going down for, it's already been proven, and you've been found guilty Mr Jackson."

Theodore loses it, growling as the gun clicks and presses further into my head. I see Leon step forward instinctively, lips thin in concern and fear. "Don't." Leon pleads. Theodore hums in approval, but before anything else happens I suddenly make a stupid decision, I launch forwards and bite Theodore's ankle, usually I wouldn't resort to this, but desperate times and all. Theodore gasps, looking down for a millisecond just as Leon pulls the trigger of his gun, sending a bullet flying for Theodore's shoulder. Somehow the son of a bitch knows, and he dodges it mostly so it hits his arm instead. Theodore runs into the elevator as Leon rushes to me, but I'm shaking my head. 

"Get him!" I panic, but Leon doesn't move, instead he wraps his arms around me in a protective embrace, eyes flicking over my injuries. I bury my face into his chest, breathing him in and feeling an overwhelming sense of relief. 

"It's okay," Leon softly reassures, which brings tears to my eyes, "I won't let anyone take you away from me ever again."

"What about the evidence? FutureFront? Theodore's gone!" I cry. Leon rubs my back, kneeling now as I cling to him. 

"It's all taken care of. Hunnigan sent the evidence directly to the president, and I had a friend on the outside share all of Theodore's wrongdoings to her brother who works in the B.S.S.A, they'll be looking for him now."

My shoulders slump in relief at the good news, and now it's over I feel more tired than I thought. It's been a long...week? I want to go home. I don't realise I've said the words out loud until Leon's scooping me up, carrying me out of the bunker and to a nearby safehouse. 

As soon as we get into the quaint farmhouse just outside of the city, the weight of everything crashes down on me. I cry, but Leon comforts me, wrapping me into a hug as he leads me to the bathroom, insisting he needs to clean my wounds. I look around, half expecting something to go wrong, or some kind of trap to fall upon us, but nothing happens. "You're safe here, this is a top secret place, only a few agents know about this house. I promise I'll protect you, like I should've done in the first place." Leon murmurs, sounding angry at himself. 

I sit on the bathroom counter as he stands between my legs. I lift my hand up, wincing at the red circles outlining my wrist, they'll probably leave permanent marks. "None of this is your fault, you saved me, numerous times." I whisper as Leon's eyes close in regret. He holds his own hand over mine, keeping it there for a second before he pulls away to grab some medical supplies from the cupboard. He nods, as if trying to convince himself, then gently begins tending to my wounds. I wince, hearing Leon's sharp inhale every time as though he's the one who's hurt.

"I'm gonna find every person who did this to you," He vows, "and I'm going to make them pay."

I shake my head, calm washing over me as I grab his wrist. "Don't let this consume you Leon, promise me we'll let this go and get on with our lives. You've still got to order than engagement ring after all." I weakly smile. He swallows, holding my eyes with his own, then he nods tensely. I let my muscles deflate as he works on me, putting cream on the bruises and wiping the the dried blood. 

"Who says I haven't already got the ring?" Leon mumbles after he's done. I freeze, staring at Leon, then I grin, launching forward to loop my arms around his neck, he chuckles, hugging me back as his lips kiss that tender bit under my ear. 

"I love you so much Y/N, my life wouldn't matter if you weren't in it." He whispers shakily. My lip wobbles again as he scoops me up and carries me to the bedroom, but instead of going further Leon insists on making me some decent food. I swallow down some soup before tucking myself into bed, feeling Leon get in with me. He pulls me onto his chest, arms holding me as his chin rests on the top of my head. 

"Leon? What's going to happen to Grimhurst?" I ask. 

He sighs, one hand lazily drawing circles on my shoulder. "The government is cordoning it off, they're going to send in some special forces to eliminate the bioweapons and wipe away the research," My lips turn down even though I know there's nothing else we can do, "but I specifically requested that after, once the town is clear, there's funding to rebuild it and bring it back to life." 

I've never loved Leon as strongly as I do right now. I nod, closing my eyes with my smile lingering knowing justice will be serves and we're okay. I think I mumble my thoughts, but I'm not sure because already I'm being pulled under into a deep and safe sleep.