𝑳𝒆𝒐𝒏 𝑲𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒅𝒚| ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 2

To Be Strong

Leon's out of ammo, and I'm beyond being able to help. I lie on the floor amongst the scattered lab equipment as our target and current threat to the world Dr Davis morphs even more, his monstrous strength and unbeatable match for us.

Leon grunts as Davis swings out an arm, grabbing Leon by the throat and lifting him. He stabs his arm with a knife but Davis doesn't feel a thing, so all Leon can do is grapple and try to escape Davis' clutch. I look beside me, seeing a vial of the same virus Davis injected himself with when we came to take him in. I know the risks, if I do this I could end up like Davis; an uncontrollable beast that will eventually die from the effects, but I've got no choice.

I grab the vial, coming to terms with the fact I've got to be strong and try to work with the virus soon running in my bloodstream rather than let it overcome me. I pop the cap off and stare at the needle, glancing back I see Leon's eyes close so without further hesitation I inject myself with the virus.

Almost immediately a scream escapes me, Davis drops Leon and roars in anger as I clench my fists, pain like nothing I've ever experienced runs through my veins, my limbs feel like they're on fire, but even through all the pure hurt I still stand, no longer are my legs weak and wobbly, I raise my chin, feeling the virus bond with my blood.

"Come at me motherfucker." I mumble as Leon tries to get up, but we've switched positions now, he's too injured to move. Davis growls and prowls to me, his hulking form once menacing now seems so pathetic.

In slow motion he swings a sharpened arm at me, but I duck and roll, then use his lowered arm as a ramp as I run and leap onto his back. I wrap an arm around his neck as he tries to swing me off, but my grip is like a vice. With my other hand I reach for my knife, then jam it into the top of his spine. He howls on pain before dropping low, sending me sprawling across the room, but with my quicker reactions I catch myself and stand, watching as he grabs for the knife. I use the distraction to grab a thick pane of glass, the edges cut into my skin but I don't feel it, then I jump higher than I could before, slicing open his neck. A spray of blood whooses out as his eyes widen, then finally he collapses dead on the floor.

I stand, not even out of breath as my heart beats rapidly. The burning sensation has passed, and I almost feel like myself, other than the too much-ness of everything. It's like every sense has been heightened, and every movement appears light, I'm so much more capable, plus I'm not dead, however I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, because it means the virus has bonded with my blood.

I'm a successful experiment.

"Y/N," Leon mumbles, I turn and rush towards him, kneeling as I peel off his brown leather bomber jacket, a small trace of blood coats the faux fur inside. "What the fuck were you thinking?!" He curses, wincing as I peel down the neck of his blue tee and begin bandaging the cuts there, Davis' claws must've done this when he had hold of Leon.

"I wasn't going to let my last breaths be wasted when I knew I could help you." I reply, then hurriedly moving on to treat his other injuries until backup arrives. Leon shakes his head, grabbing my hand and linking our fingers together.

"How do you feel?" He asks, using his other hand he touches my forehead, "You hadn't got a fever like Davis had, and your eyes look the same, just as beautiful as ever." A small smile tilts his lips.

I huff and press my lips to his. "I feel good, weird but good. Though I am a little chilly but only from the lab freezer next to us." I murmur, giving him a reassuring smile. He slides his jacket to me, so gratefully I slip it on, basking in the scent of Leon and the last remnants of his warmth.

I lean against him as I sit beside him, both of us waiting for backup to arrive. It doesn't take long, other agents come and check us over, but instead of letting me go with Leon a few pull me away, then surprisingly they tie my hands behind my back.

I frown in confusion as Leon stops and turns, already arguing and demanding for me to be let go, but they insist it's protocol. It makes sense, I'm a walking bioweapon, but Leon isn't having it.

"Let her go, she's been through enough! Hey, I said get your fucking hands off-" Leon shouts as I try to reach him to calm him down, but his fighting doesn't pay off and he gets taken down. Now I'm mad, so I begin to wrestle out of my bonds too, but a needle is shoved into my neck and then darkness is all I know.

***********************

I wake up in a cell. It feels like a cell, but really it's like a tiny bedroom with transparent walls. It's some kind of lab, and there are other people in similar rooms next to me, all look ill though.

I swallow back the dryness in my mouth, then stand on shaky legs and pound against the glass, but it's no good. It's built well and the scientists watching screens and typing away don't seem to care. I narrow my eyes, squinting until I see that dreaded logo on their crystal white coats.

Umbrella.

A doctor comes to my cell, watching me before crouching down. All I can do is stare, hoping if I comply they'll let me go. I'm a fighter, but I know when to save my strength. "You're awake I see. Welcome to Umbrella's monitoring facility, you'll be here for the remainder of your time."

I shake my head, "I don't think so. Let me go!" I yell, my breath comes quick as the scientist gives me a pitiful look and walks away. I scoot back to the wall, looking down I'm glad I'm still dressed in my own clothes and Leon's coat.

I tilt my chin low, closing my eyes and inhaling his smell, thinking about him makes my heart hurt, but I'll be out of here soon.

Or so I thought. I don't know how much time passes, but I estimate about three months. Everyday I'm subdued with a gas, then experimented on, my blood gets taken and I'm asked the same questions every day. I watch as the people I'm trapped with slowly turn into monsters, then they're terminated and more replacements come in.

It's a cycle, and the only thing I have to tether me to reality is Leon's jacket, I wear it when I can, and tuck it over me when I sleep, which isn't often.

It's the evening, there's an alarm going off and I jolt from my sleep. The lab lights switch off and the emergency red ones come on. I look around, but I'm hoping it's some kind of attack, maybe I'll be killed in the process.

Gunshots sound and I don't panic, I just sit there in the middle of my cell, rocking back and fourth with Leon's coat draped over my shoulders. My door hisses open, and a figure I never thought I'd see again wraps he into his arms.

I flinch, so unused to the touch of another. "Leon?" I ask, my voice cracking as he cries, squeezing me tighter to him as the other agents swarm in, taking down the scientists and the other subjects.

"It's me, I'm here, you're gonna be okay." He mumbles, his voice thick with tears. I don't cry, I feel kind of numb, but I'm glad he's here.

"Get me out, I wanna go home." I plead, clinging to him as he scoops me up, I finally see his face, his blue eyes are bloodshot and his hair isn't tidy as usual, he's been through hell just as much as I have. I press my head to his chest, forcing my eyes closed as he carries me to safety, back to his home.

Once showered with Leon's help, fed and dressed, I let myself fall apart. Leon holds me through it all, cuddling me and reassuring me I'm safe. It doesn't stop the nightmares, but Leon supports me every time.

After a few weeks Leon introduces me to an old friend, a woman around my age named Rebecca Chambers. She insists she can help me get cured, so I allow her to do what she needs, even if I have a panic attack every time I see a needle. Leon, like always, holds my hand, giving me what I need to be okay.

Only two months later, Rebecca finds a cure. I sit in the lab chair as she injects me with it, tears fall down my eyes but Leon wipes them away, telling me how brave I am and how he's proud of me. Rebecca does the checks, and I'm finally me again.

The virus is gone from my body, and it takes a while for me to get used to being myself again, but the memories never get erased.

Still, I'd do it all over again if it meant saving Leon from Davis. I had to be strong, and I believe I was, and still am.