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"She might still be alive"
Leon didn't want to get her hopes up. That wasn't his intention at all. But he wasn't lying either. That, and Grace doesn't need him to lie to make her feel better. She's stronger than that.
It's the simple fact that he's watched these viruses bring the worst of the worst back from the dead over and over again.
Why not her too? Why not an innocent little girl?
He wanted to believe it could be true. He wanted to feel that thing that even Spencer felt in the end.
The hole in his chest that only grew as he was pelted with every new year, living the same deranged existence fighting things that shouldn't be real.
...He could almost forget about it
He never thought something like Elpis could exist. Seemed more like a fairy tale. But the proof of it was running through his veins. He'd spent months feeling like his insides were rotting away. His stomach caving in on itself, his mind wavering. Fighting every second into the next, struggling against his own body just to go on a little longer. Even if he couldn't see an end in sight. Stuck in the endless cycle of fighting for the sake of fighting.
But there Leon sat in the helicopter, breathing easily for the first time in what felt like forever. With the small case holding the answers to someone's prayers under his arm. Spencer's atonement. The culmination of the regrets of a man who decided to do one good thing with his life.
He glanced to his side at Grace. The two of them sat on the opposite side of two of the agents that Chris apparently sent for them. She sat there nervously bouncing her legs, her hands clenched together in her lap, picking at her chipped thumbnail. She swapped between staring aimlessly out the window to staring at the space in front of her.
Well. Two good things.
He gave her a once over. Blood that was an unfortunate mixture of hers and very much not hers, was dried and cracking on her skin. Poor thing has spent the past day in pure survival mode and she still hasn't found a moment to rest yet. He just hopes it'll all be worth it for her in the end.
God, he hopes.
That's a new one for him.
Leon reached to his side and his hand easily closed over both of hers. She stopped bouncing because she was startled by the contact. Freezing like a deer in headlights. Her eyes snapped to his. Wide, red and tired.
He gave her a soft, kind smile. He found that it came to him easily. A nice change from the dry sarcastic smile he automatically jumps to when faced with his regular day-to-day horseshit.
He didn't have anything to say, but he has a few techniques that always helped Sherry relax. So, he figured he could pull them out here as well.
Her shoulders slumped and she seemed to relax. Or maybe she just became self aware of her visible nerves and was now choosing to actively hide it. Leon was leaning towards option two.
"We're close." He said as he squeezed Grace's hands gently. She nodded, and kept nodding until she resigned to hanging her head, staring down at their hands in her lap.
"T-Thank you." She said suddenly, shaking her head to herself. "For coming with me." She clarified. Her voice for quieter the more she spoke. "You didn't have to."
Leon shrugged. "What can I say? I just love field trips." He pet her hands a couple times, setting his hand back down over them.
Grace smiled a little, though it didn't stick, especially as Rhodes Hill came into view. They were instructed to stay put while the soldiers moved in. Leon wasn't going to complain. Yeah he feels better but he ain't as young as he used to be. He's happy to let these guys do clean up.
As they sat and waited, Leon was trying not to be visibly impressed by Chris's agents - whoever they are. He didn't know if Chris was still with the BSAA after everything that went down with the Baker Family. But Leon has a general distrust for soldiers from organizations he doesn't have much experience with and more so of people with guns who cover their faces. But they're being shockingly thorough. When they arrived back at Rhodes Hill, the soldiers went in first to cordon off the remaining infected. Guns aimed at legs, not head-shotting anyone they can avoid it with. Sheparding them back into Rhodes Hill so that they can potentially be cured. If whatever Victor was shooting them with was the same strand that Elpis could cure. If it could help Leon and de-power Zeno. Maybe it could help all of them too. The cautious warmth that had been spreading through Leon's chest slowly deepened. A part of him dismissed it regardless. Used to the feeling of disappointment, not willing to wish for more. To hope for any other outcome. But even so, the warmth of Graces slightly trembling hands under his – warm and alive. It didn't escape his notice how he didn't need to feel that way. Not right now.
Once they were given the all clear, the helicopter landed a safe distance from the operation but close to the water treatment plant.
Leon got out first and held his arms out to Grace. He hadn't forgotten the stab wound just to the left of her kidney she'd gotten not even an hour ago. She took one of his hands and put her other hand on his shoulder so he could wrap one arm around her to help her down out of the giant, military-grade helicopter.
God he loves having his strength back. He's felt so useless trying to help Grace, when running down a hallway made him feel like his lungs were on fire. Not being able to do half of what he normally can because he could actually feel his muscles deteriorating. She must weigh one hundred and thirty pounds wet and he still felt like his arm was gonna rip out of its socket trying to hold onto her at ARK.
Goddamn did she hold her own though. He vividly remembers the genuine shock he felt when he dropped down into Rhodes Hill to see about thirty dead infected and the bloody remains of what must have been bigger threats. She only left Leon a few blisterheads roaming around to deal with. He doesn't even blame her for ignoring those assholes. She might not have had his arsenal, but she made do with what she had. You just can't teach someone to be that resourceful.
He felt a ridiculous little surge of pride for this girl he'd only just met.
He grabbed the case and started to walk, only to look back and notice Grace hadn't moved from where he'd placed her down.
Leon stopped and turned back to face her. Even from a distance, he can see that she's trembling, staring at the entrance to that upper landing. Emily's mutated body was almost within sight.
He nodded back over his shoulder. "You've got this. Not far now." He wasn't gonna baby her but he also wasn't going to be insensitive. He found a neutral middle ground, waiting patiently.
She breathed through her mouth, centering herself. "W-what if it doesn't work?" She looked up at him pleadingly. Begging for an answer she knew he didn't have.
He knew this spiral all too well. Being sure one moment and less so as the seconds ticked by.
Knowing she would almost rather not try, than feel the disappointment of it not working.
He knows how she feels. Too well. "Then you'll know you did everything you could with the knowledge you had at the time."
Her lips pursed and trembled, she squeezed her eyes shut, her shoulders shaking as she forced down a sob. Choking it back.
He saw himself in Grace. Desperate to help in a situation where she had no fucking clue what was going on. Trying to feign the confidence of someone who's been wearing the badge for longer than he had been...
He didn't want her to hold onto the past like he did. Holding onto guilt after being thrown into an impossible situation and fucking up over and over. And as he talked her through her pain and anxieties. He found himself healing a bit of his own in the process. Like he had the chance to tell a younger version of himself all the things he wished someone had told him.
Holding an arm out, he waited for her to join him. He stood there patiently while Grace sucked in a deep breath and steeled herself, squaring her shoulders and stepping up beside Leon. His arm reached around her to rest on her arm below her shoulder, another comforting squeeze.
He held her a little tighter as they stepped out onto the landing and that mass of burnt flesh that was once "The Girl" came into view. Marie, Leon was informed after taking a look at the files around the place. The melted mass had dried and hardened in the direct sunlight. The edges blurring, as if it was turning to ash around the edges. He felt Grace tense under his hand and he kept her close. Feeling the guilt surge through her as if it were his own.
Then, they were at the storage room again.
Leon had closed the door to keep Emily contained in case she got up again. Leon had more than enough experience with these mutations to know that bullets aren't always enough to keep them down. Even if he does hit their vitals. They're as random as they are horrific. One of the soldiers flanking them stepped up to the button and bopped his fist on it, the metal creaking loudly as the door raised up.
Grace's sharp inhale was the sign that she could see her.
"You got this." Leon repeated and moved his hand to the middle of her back, giving her a gentle encouragement when he thought maybe her legs wouldn't move on their own. She didn't move until the door was right at the top, the heavy clunk of the mechanisms coming to a halt. Leon stayed beside her.
There Emily was, right where they left her. Leon wasn't even sure how to prepare Grace for this part. He had no way of knowing how this would even work. It's impossible to understand the biology of what was going on with these girls. Even if it works, it could be painful for Emily to change back. It might not work the same way it did for Leon and Zeno. They just had to take it one step at a time.
Placing the container down, Leon crouched in front of it and clicked open the latches. These soldiers with suspiciously good timing had come prepared with exactly the correct type of freezer container for samples like this. Leon was willing to let it slide for the immediate future. As long as he can get it to Sherry after this, he'll worry about anything else later.
Plucking out one of the remaining doses. He looked to Emily, then stood up and regarded Grace. She looks about three shades paler than she did before. Staring down at the twelve foot tall creature that was once a tiny girl.
This is a lot to put on her after the day she's had. Leon can pull the metaphorical trigger for her. It's the least he can do.
He went to crouch beside Emily and Grace suddenly spoke up.
"W-wait." Grace said quickly right as Leon started to walk towards the massive body.
"I.." she gulped. "I can do it." She squeaked, her voice cracking. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard again.
"I wanna do it." She said more resolutely, clenching her hands into shaking fists.
Leon nodded and held out the vial to her. "All yours Ace."
There was a moment of hesitation. Her eyes on the taunting presence of this cure. It being the hypothetical answer to saving Emily. Leon could practically hear her thoughts. He's certain that he's had the same ones.
She took it and held it close to her chest as she approached. Leon kept a healthy distance, keeping his eyes on the two soldiers watching the scene unfold. Their hands weren't on their weapons but they weren't unprepared. They're being respectful at the very least. Enough that Leon felt he could return his attention to Grace.
She knelt down beside the giant form and Leon won't pretend his fingers didn't itch towards his gun seeing Grace put her hand so close to that giant, gaping maw filled with gnarled teeth. She gently pet what would have been Emily's cheek, moving a hand to her mutated torso. "You're gonna be just fine." Grace whispered, close to choking back tears as she ran her hand over the veiny, mottled surface.
She ever-so-gently injected Elpis into Emily's upper arm. Like she was giving the kid a flu shot. Everyone in the room watched the serum disappear into the creature.
And then they waited.
In the seconds that dragged on, all Leon could look at was Grace. He was expecting to see fear, doubt, pain. That relentless anxiety that plagues her.
But no. She's waiting. Her brow set, watching intently, watching and waiting for what she wants to happen. For what she truly believes will happen.
Leon couldn't help but feel it too.
Suddenly there was a rumble and the mutated form siezed. Though no sound emerged from it other than the sound of it thudding against the metal floor. The flesh squelching as it twitched and convulsed for a few excruciating seconds. Then, it stopped. And for a while, it seemed like that was it, that nothing was happening.
Leon thought his teeth might crack he was gritting them so hard. He relaxed his jaw to step forward. A sincere apology ready on his tongue. Words of comfort that he hoped would bring her some kind of solace. But once he had crouched down beside Grace, he saw what she was seeing, and he saw the wide eyed look on Grace's face.
The body was no longer sickly, dead, bulbous skin.
It was dry, and hard like a shell. Grace slowly reached a hand over and knocked a fist on top. It made a dull thud noise. She moved her hand up further and knocked again – and Leon couldn't believe his ears when that shit sounded hollow.
Without a word, Grace had dug her fingertips under the first slightly lifted part of flesh she could see and started to pull with all her might. A "Woah, woah" sprang from Leon's mouth before she could make much headway, the thick casing barely budging. Her fingers would give way before that stuff did.
Matching her urgency, he used his hatchet to lever back the thick piece of shell and it broke off in a six inch wide chunk. He reached behind him and handed Grace his spare hatchet. She took it and immediately started following in suit, cracking away at what felt more and more like a wax casing the more they chipped away at it. Leon found a good spot and a huge chunk gave way, the edges making themselves known right down the front of the giant body as Leon gripped it and heaved it off, a loud crunch following his grunts as the shell finally gave way.
By the time Leon looked down to see what he'd uncovered, Grace had already dropped the hatchet and leaped forward, her arms around Emily. Her normal, tiny, human body. Bloody and sticky but alive. Leon crouched down and could just see her chest barely rising and falling. Grace was close to delirious, eyes blurry with tears, trying to lift her out of the fleshy remains. Emily was almost suctioned in there but the left overs released her with little effort from Leon as he slotted his arms underneath her and scooped her up, depositing her into Grace's arms.
"Emily? I'm here, I'm here–" she held Emily close to her with one arm, sweeping her hair out of her face with the other. Again and again, collecting the pieces she missed with her frantic, shaking hands. Tucking the damp strands behind her ear.
Emily stirred just a little, groaning in her sleep, and rolling her body towards Grace. Grace just hugged her to her chest and sobbed.
One of the soldiers strolled up with a shock blanket, handing it to Leon. He gave the masked soldier a curt nod, returning his attention to the girls. Leon unfurled the thin blanket and tucked it around Emily, helping Grace bundle her up in her arms.
Behind them, one of the soldiers sent out a confirmation over his comms. "It worked. She's alive." He paused, listening to the response and Leon tried to hone his hearing like if he listened hard enough, he'd be able to hear that guys earphone.
"Yes sir."
Leon doesn't know who he's talking to or why they were sent to watch, but it'll have to wait until later.
Leon looked back to the girls. Grace rocking back and forth, sighing deeply, relief flooding over her the longer she held Emily.
The sirens of police cars wailing in the distance distracted him from the scene and caught his attention, as what sounded like several cars neared the Rhodes Hill courtyard.
Then the News helicopters whirring overhead was their que to leave.
"Hey Sherry. What are the chances of getting a one-way trip for three outta this dump?" He kept his voice low, eyes on his peripherals. He can't be sure the BSAA won't wanna take Emily with them. There's no need for that right now. He'll talk to Chris first. Then they can see Emily.
If Grace let's them.
"I'm way ahead of you." Sherry hummed. He could hear her tapping away on her keyboard.
A third soldier entered. The one Leon assumes is an officer of some kind. The one that first spoke to them in the ruins of ARK.
"Sir." The two soldiers saluted. "Do we continue with the retrieval?"
"Negative." He said holding up a hand, tone still awfully friendly. "The girl is under the protection of the DSO. We were just sent the sanction."
Leon stood there, actively holding his mouth closed until a voice chirped in his ear.
"Did they buy it?" Sherry said all nonchalance. She already knew the answer. She knows how good she is.
"That's my girl." Leon murmured into his comms, turning back to Grace. They can at least keep Emily separated from all this until Leon has a chance to talk to Chris and figure out what kind of operation he's got going on around here.
The officer turned to Leon "Things are under control out there now. Do you need dropping off somewhere?"
"There's a car on the way Leon. Five minutes." Sherry answered for him.
"Roger." He spoke into his shoulder then lifted his head to the soldiers. "We're all set."
He turned around and crouched back down to Grace. She'd calmed down a little and now just rocked in place, sweeping her fingertips through Emily's hair. He gave her shoulder a poke to remind her he was there.
She lifted her head with a start, blinking up at Leon.
Leon smiled. "I got her. You take care of yourself for a few minutes." He gestured to Emily and Grace reluctantly released her hold so Leon could scoop Emily up in one arm, helping Grace to her feet with the other, slinging that arm around her. Grace leaned on Leon as she walked for the pure purpose of being closer to Emily.
He gave a nod to the soldiers. "See you fellas later. Tell your boss he has my number."
He received little to no protest. He can only assume they got a glowing review of Leon's positive attributes from Chris. He could get used to nice tidy endings like this.
Well. As tidy as possible when Umbrella is involved.
By the time they made it to the ground level, there was a car waiting. A very normal looking sedan pulled up a little ways down from the entrance. As close as they could get given all the cops and news vans.
They managed to avoid the reporters and b-lined to the car. Scoffing into his comms as they got closer.
"Did you call us a damn Uber?" He's shocked there were any available with all the shit going on in this city. He could hear Sherry smiling.
"Secret terrorist agencies work hard but ride-share drivers work harder." Sherry hummed. "Don't worry, he's just taking you back to your car."
Leon sighed "I knew you wouldn't forget."
"I could never forget your favorite child." Sherry's murmuring was only just picked up on the comms. Leon chuckled while he opened the back door for Grace, slipping in after her.
Emily is a bit too little to be buckled in while she was asleep without a car seat, so Leon kept her curled up on his lap for the ride. Grace sat right beside him in the middle seat so she could keep fussing over Emily. Currently checking her feet for little cuts from walking around barefoot.
Eventually they settled. Grace's breathing finally sounded steady for the first time since Leon has known her.
After a stretch of silence, nothing but the low hum if the engine to be heard. Leon looked beside him. "You still with me Ace?" Leon raised an eyebrow as he noticed Grace's head slumping forward for the third time in just as many minutes.
"Yeah! ...yeah 'm good..." Her voice quickly turned to a mumble, her head nodding forward for a fourth time.
Leon didn't complain when her head slowly lulled and flopped onto his shoulder. She wasn't going to get much of a nap in before they got back to Raccoon City, but some sleep was better than none.
"Would your daughters like some water Sir?" The offer from the driver came a few minutes too late as Grace started to softly snore. A clear sign she was as wiped as Leon felt.
He smiled at the drivers reflection in the rear view mirror. "Later. Thanks."
-
Leon managed to get Emily out of the car and into his without disturbing her. He considered doing the same for Grace. It was actually funny how it occured to him so instinctually. Just to pick her up and put her in his car like a little kid. He didn't want to disturb her well-deserved sleep.
Reminding himself that she's a fully grown woman, he nudged her awake instead. "C'mon. You can snooze in the Porsche. We've got a long drive."
She slowly came to, her eyes widening and quickly sitting upright, looking around.
"Where's–"
"Already in my car. Sleeping like a baby." He coaxed her out of the car, his hands on her arms, Grace allowing herself to be lead from one car to the other, still half asleep.
Leon waved to the driver while he spoke quietly into his comms. "Sherry I hope you gave this guy five stars and a tip." He glanced from the driver to the dilapidated ruins of Raccoon City. He was kind enough to drive right up to Leon's car.
"Who do you think I am?" Sherry speak for 'Yes, obviously Leon'. Spoken in her usual soft tone.
He let the girls curl up in the backseat together and cruised back to Sherry. He drove as carefully as he could while also being fairly impatient about getting the cure to Sherry sooner rather than later. She assured him that she's alright and that her symptoms were far less advanced than his due to her limited exposure to the various zombie viruses. But still. He'll feel better once she's back to normal.
It was on that drive when his bones finally started to act like human bones, and remind him that he's tired. He felt the dull ache just start to creep into his notice. It was only going to get worse. He had no doubts that by this time tomorrow, he'll be groaning with every move and putting up with Sherry's comments about his age.
But despite the ache in his body. He felt lighter somehow. His infection and the cure aside. It was like a weight he didn't realise he'd been carrying, had been lifted. He's not sure if he could explain it if he tried.
He's been living his life the same way for almost thirty years. This is the first time he's felt... Different.
Emotions that felt so far out of reach not so long ago, were coming to him as easily as breathing. Even just being content was something he was almost unfamiliar with. Instead of being in a constant state of preparedness. Then when that feeling started to waver. When he started slipping into old habits. All he had to do was glance into the mirror at the girls sleeping in the backseat. A reminder. Proof that he did something. That he made a difference this time.
In his head, he never left Raccoon City. He's been there reliving it since that first day. Leaving the first time he always felt like he didn't finish it. Like he could have done more.
Now. Seeing Racoon City fade into the distance. It's as if he left something back there. Something he'd been holding onto.
Something he wasn't gonna miss.
~
It's procedure to prepare a safe house for after mission care. No one wants to be heading directly to their private residence after dealing with terrorists and deadly viral infections. Nor is it safe to for an abundance of reasons. Sherry had it all sorted and met them there. A neat, inconspicuous little town house for them to debrief and destress in for a few days.
Leon gave Sherry a half hearted hug when she ran up to him in the driveway, more focused on shoving the cure into her hands before he cared about anything else
"Alright jeez. Someone needs a nap." She took the Elpis dose and rolled up her sleeve while giving Leon an exaggerated side eye.
"Less talking, more injecting." He hovered over her until she had done as he'd asked. Once she'd emptied the injector, Sherry took her glove off just in time to watch the black veins fade away, leaving a barely perceptible scar behind. You had to be looking closely to notice it.
"Oh wow." Sherry sighed, her chest deflating with relief. Leaning her head to the side onto Leon's collarbone while she stared at her hand. Leon's next breath was a sharp inhale that made his eyes tingle. He blinked until the tingling subsided.
Climbing out of the car holding Emily, Grace piped up.
"You're Sherry?" Grace said with no degree of certainty. She seemed to not be expecting Sherry to be around her age. Sherry smiled sweetly at her, closing the gap between them.
"That's me. It's great to meet you Grace. There's a shower with your name on it." She threw a thumb over her shoulder. Her smile broadening at the wistful look in Grace's eyes at the mention of a shower. She turned her head to Leon, her hair flicking to the side as she did.
"You can have the room with the ensuite. There's one of those hand rails in the shower and next to the toilet for all your geriatric needs." Only Sherry could sass him and still sound like a sweetheart while doing it.
"You're funny today." Leon's tone was completely monotonous as he clicked the lock on his car and moved towards the house.
Sherry really had it all sorted. Spare clothes, hygiene products and a stocked fridge. Her organizational skills are a thing worthy of envy. She'd clearly raided Leon's wardrobe, while buying new clothes for Grace and Emily.
"Just set her down there." Sherry directed Grace to the couch she had lined with a sheet. Grace slowly eased Emily down, tucking her hair behind her ears again. Fussing with her like a doll. Frowning at the caked dirt and gore on her porcelain skin.
"I'll get the worst of it off her while you wash up." Sherry offered, handing Grace a towel and pointing her towards the main bathroom.
Grace stammered for a moment before she found the words. "Are you sure? I can do it, I'll be really quick–"
Sherry clasped her hands together in front of her chest. "No offence Grace, but you smell worse than Leon."
"Take your time Ace." Leon spoke up. "She'll be right here when you're done." Of course referring to Emily. Who Grace, understandably – never wanted to let out of her sight again. Leon knew the feeling. Hell, he was feeling it as Grace left his field of vision and turned down the hallway to the bathroom. He felt a need to go check on her that he tamped down before Sherry noticed and commented on it. It wasn't enough that she was here. He needed to keep double checking that she's alright and that he did actually get her out of danger.
The sound of running water accompanied Sherry and Leon as they set up next to the couch with Emily and got rid of the worst of the muck left over from Rhodes Hill.
Sherry hummed a little tune while she meticulously worked. "It's not often we get a happy ending like this huh?" Sherry dipped the rag in the warm soapy water and gently wiped down Emily's legs while Leon did the same for her hands and arms.
Leon nodded slowly, taking a second to look at Emily's tiny hand sitting in his own. Warm and alive. "I'm just happy for Grace." It's a damn near miracle she made it through all of that. But she's tough. She's proved that much and more. Leon's lips curved up into a smile without him noticing.
Sherry paused, taking a moment to just look over at him. Her face falling into something with purpose. "You deserved good news too, Leon."
Leon let that one sit without a response.
He set down Emily's hand and stood up to empty out the dirty water and replace it for Sherry. Then left her to finish up and dragged himself into the other shower. He had to lean a hand on the tiles and just stand under the flow of water for a while. Grounding himself or maybe just letting himself finally come to terms with everything. Sweeping his drenched hair over the top of his head, he breathed in the steam, closing his eyes. He's not sure how long he was in there for but it was long enough that his skin was the definition of squeaky clean.
Lifting his arms above his head to get a shirt on was more of a chore than it should have been – but he got there in the end. Feeling exhausted after just drying off and putting pants on.
As soon as he left his assigned bedroom. Sherry held out a giant garbage bag in front of him and Leon put his soiled clothes in it. Along with Grace's and Emily's that were already balled up at the bottom. She scrunched up her nose and tied up the top, leaving to put it outside while Leon stepped past her into the bedroom with Grace and Emily inside.
Leon actually felt his heart warm at the sight of Emily in soft, cosy-looking PJs covered in teddy bears. Grace looked better after her shower too. Color had come back to her face and her hair is actually lighter than Leon thought it was, now that she's not covered in blood and grime.
"Feelin' better?" He strolled in hair far enough to lean in the door frame. He scanned her for the answer to his own question without waiting for her to speak.
Like Leon, Grace came out the other end of this ordeal with gnarly bites and scratches all over her. Primarily on her arms and shoulders but not without the few on her legs from those basterds that pretend to be dead and grab your leg as you walk past. Sherry had put bandage patches over the worst ones and wrapped up the rest to keep them clean. It was only a matter of time before Sherry cornered him to do the same.
"Like a million bucks." Grace relaxed against the headboard, adjusting Emily to tuck her closer to her side.
On cue. Sherry came back carrying various medical supplies. "Sit." Was all she said and Leon sighed.
"Yes ma'am." Resisting the urge to groan as he lowered himself down onto a chair by the foot of the bed. He grumbled about needing to take his shirt off after the effort it took him to get it on. Grumbling that set off a giggle in Grace. Leon cherished the sound.
"Thank you." Grace spoke after a comfortable silence had fallen between them while Leon was arduously pulling his shirt back over his chest. "Both of you. I don't know..." She trailed off. Her fingers playing with the sleeve of Emily's PJs.
"I don't know if I could have done this alone." Her voice wobbled, threatening to crack again and all Leon could do was lean back in his chair.
"Now I know the girl who singlehandedly cleared two wings of Rhodes Hill isn't saying that." His lips quirked up into a smile at her deer-in-headlights expression he'd come to enjoy.
"She barely left me with anything to do." He turned to Sherry and lazily pointed over at Grace, mock accusingly. "I was downright bored getting there after her."
Grace actually huffed something that might have been a laugh if she weren't so overwhelmed. "I think I blacked out." Grace murmured. Aimlessly petting Emily's hair. "I barely remember anything."
That's the adrenaline. Her brain was just acting on instinct and not actually processing anything.
"You will." Leon's words were somewhere between grim and comfort. A harsh reality mixed with the fact that he's speaking from experience. And he's here for her.
Whatever Grace was going to say was cut short by Emily stirring beside her. Everyone in the room locked in on the little girl as she yawned, blinking her eyes open, then darting upright in a panic. Leon and Sherry stood while Grace calmed her down, hugging her until her breathing settled. "It's ok! I'm here, I'm here Emily..."
Emily blinked her eyes, then kept blinking them over Grace's shoulder. Gently pushing herself away, she squeezed her eyes shut and opened them.
and stared right at Grace's face.
Grace held both sides of Emily's neck, moving up to cup her jaw to gently tilt her head back, taking a closer look at her eyes. They no longer have those white, foggy pupils. They're clear. Her eyes fully focused in on Grace.
"Grace?" Her tiny voice weak but hopeful. Grace was nodding before she even spoke, tears in her eyes all over again.
"Yeah– yeah it's me." She held her face and kissed her forehead. Emily leaned into the touch before looking to the side a little warily, her eyes landing on Leon. She curled closer to Grace.
Leon just realised he probably looked a little scary standing by the door with his arms folded over his chest. Still. Less scary than he looked before he was cured and showered.
Grace followed her gaze and gave her shoulders a comforting squeeze. "It's okay! That's Leon. He's been helping us from the start."
Emily accepted the information with full trust. The bond that had formed between these two had to be record breaking speed. Emily now regarded him with a more thoughtful expression, looking him up and down, and back up.
Emily fidgeted with the front of the pajamas Sherry had picked out for her. Looking down at her lap and back up. Her voice quiet and shy. "Your hair is pretty."
Leon let out a short chuckle, stepping forward and sitting down on the side of the bed. Emily meeting his eyes with a tiny smile of her own. There Leon sat. Face to face with the smiles of the ones he managed to save.
He's ready for things to be different.
"No where near as pretty as yours."