Vengeance of the Crow-Resident Evil 5

Epilogue

The cold tombstone always seemed uninviting to approach, standing there among rows of other stones of those who've fallen or past. The decorative red and white roses layed out for you always catched Leon's eye every time he visited, making his trip seem easier.

That particular stone always stood out amongst the others, the uniform colors embedded into his brain. He didn't know if those colors happened to be your favorite, or if those who layed them out for you were imagining you would've enjoyed them.
The rain felt cold on his skin when he stood on the wet grass, the dark skies complimenting the raw emotions he felt inside his chest every singe time he came here. In his hands rested a bouquet of simple red roses, wrapped up in clear cellophane and tied with a black bow.
He kneeled down slowly, uncaring if his pants got wet from the water as he rested the bouquet against the stone, using some white plastic flowers to keep it propped up next to your name. He couldn't help but drag his fingers along the stone's surface, the smoothness slightly reminding him of the times that same hand was on your cheek, fingers slowly running against your smooth skin.

"I'm trying," he muttered slowly, staring at your name over and over again. It was all he could say for the moment, feeling the silence all around him as the rain continued falling harder on him, soaking into his clothes, but he could care less.

"Still mourning?" A voice made itself known behind him, breaking him out of his heavy trance. He looked over his shoulder, finding a woman dressed in a dark grey trenchcoat, holding a black umbrella over her head. Her short black hair and pale smiling face were distinctive features he wish he could forget.
Looking back towards the stone, he pulled himself off the ground. "What are you doing here?" He asked, eyes still glued to the stone below him.

Ada's smile slightly dropped a bit, seeing how she seemed to have interrupted his little mourning session. She knew how hurt he was still, but she was also slightly irritated at you, how you were still able to keep this facade up for so long. "I'm visiting an old friend of mine, and I happened to have passed the graveyard, finding a man who could catch a cold if he stays out here any longer."

A huff escaped Leon's lips, followed by a slight shake of his head. "I'm fine. I was just about to leave anyway-"

"Leon," she cut him off, looking down at the name engraved in the stone. She was planning on having a talk with you later, knowing exactly where you were. "Look, I'm sorry I interrupted. It was rude of me."
He remained silent, taking her apology as if they were simple words without meaning. Still, his heart ached, he couldn't bring himself to lash out at the woman or reply with bitter banter.

"Here." Ada extended her hand out, offering her umbrella to him. "I'm serious about catching a cold. At least take this, you know its what she would want."
He looked over his shoulder again, seeing the woman's hair start to matte down from the rain as the umbrella was over his head, shielding his already drenched face. With one cold hand, he took the umbrella from her warm one, nodding slowly with slight appreciation. "Thanks."

She nodded once in reply, turning around to take her leave. She didn't say a word, and neither did he. He turned around, not even slipping the slight temptation in watching her leave.

The water felt hot under your skin when you first entered your familiar shower, hot steam clouding up the cold dark tiles as years of stress and agony began to melt off your skin, going down the drain. You kept your eyes closed the entire time as you lathered your body, engulfed in the scent of your favorite shampoo, feeling cleaner and safer than you've ever felt before. Your head rested on the cool tile of your shower wall, breathing in the steam as your mind was in a momentary peace setting.

Never thought I'd miss home so much.

Since you were gone, you called in a favor from Ada, who helped keep your apartment bills payed and prepared for the day you arrived home. You offered to pay her back, but she declined, saying she was willing to pay back one of her many favors she owed you, and left it at that.
From then on, you stayed in your home, recovering physically and mentally from your harsh experiences in Africa.