Bonus Chapter - A New Era

(optional chapter)

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Hi? Oh my god, it feels so weird to post here after what? 6 months after finishing the book?

It's been officially 2 years since I first published Sinful! :')

A few things you should know before reading this chapter!

This chapter is optional. It doesn't reveal anything new - It's a bit later after the ending, followed by some short, calm, and domestic scenes. It was requested and I wanted to do it.

The bottom of the chapter also contains a glimpse of the alternative ending!

The whole chapter will be in Leon's POV. Except for the very final scene where it's one scene taken from the Alternative Ending.

It was a very long chapter, but I chose to remove most of the 'sad scenes' and keep just one or two.

WARNING: EXTREMELY CHEESY CHAPTER! XD

Enjoy!

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"I'll carry you now to the truck," I begin to instruct while I take action. I carefully make her back lie against my chest as I retrieve my knife. "We're gonna drive back to the base, and Hercules will operate you...." I cut off the sleeve of my shirt, then gently lift hers. "....Make you better," I rasp in promise, securing the makeshift bandage around her waist and accidentally making her wince. "And then...we will leave. Together. For Sweden."

Her eyes suddenly light up through the weariness. "Together?"

"Mhm," I sniffle again, smiling down at her. "We'll start a new life."

She huffs out a watery laugh, smiling through her tears once more. I know she's imagining it, just like I am - the life we both crave to have.

"Together..." she huffs weakly.

"Together."

"Then....I'll stay....awake.......for my mom..."

I sniffle again as I show I'm listening to her with tight, repeated nods. "...my....crazy sister....my Irene...." her words are growing fainter, breaths more shallow. "I missed her..." looking back at me, she slowly reaches for my cheek. "But mostly for you....so we can....Leon...."

But it only takes my name to become her final word. Despite her promise, her smile slowly fades, color draining from her beautiful face, the light she radiates through her eyes, shutting down.

"No...no, no..." I shift her limp form against me, grunting as I shake her softly. "Come on, don't do that to me now." My voice raises in desperation as I watch her grow paler, her eyes gradually closing. "Keep your eyes open for me please..." I beg, my tone cracking as panic conquers me completely. I pat her cheek urgently, frantically trying to keep her conscious.

"You're all I have...come on!"

Slap!

A gasp tears from my throat, eyes fly open and the first thing I find is the white ceiling above me. My breaths come out ragged as if I'm out of oxygen, mouth drier as the desert. Another gentle slap lands across my cheek, asking me to snap out of it and land me harshly back to the present.

It was a nightmare. Just a nightmare that belongs to the past. It seems so far, yet, still so recent.

I sigh, dragging a hand down to my face. Until, soft, tiny coos echo, and the sweet scent of baby powder becomes the sweetest wake-up alarm. My heavy eyelids flutter, and my head turns to the side, finding Aria's five-month-old form, snuggled between me and (y/n). Her bright, doppelganger blue eyes stare right at my soul, and her blonde fuzz is disheveled, sticking up in every direction possible, adding more to her cuteness.

A lazy smile crosses my lips, and my body turns to her, outstretching my arm to blanket her tiny figure. Next to Aria lies her, fast asleep on the bed with the gold wedding ring gleaming above her engagement ring.

Yesterday, it was the most beautiful day of my life, second only to becoming Aria's father. Yesterday was the day that everything has fallen into place for good after all the chaos. Finally. She officially became Mrs. Kennedy.

I still can vividly remember all the trouble before I could finally give her the unpredictable proposal she deep down wanted - Ava told me Irene not only found the ring in my suitcase, but also swallowed it somehow...Just like that, in one gulp, my entire plan went out the window. And it was no one's but my fault for being so naive with my hiding spot. For a moment, I truly lost all hope of giving her the kind of meaningful proposal (y/n) deserved. 

But if there's one thing Ava's always had, it's quick thinking, telling (y/n) it was actually her ring in her suitcase that Irene swallowed. The disappointment on (y/n)'s face was it was almost adorable, and everything I needed to be more careful. 

A big part of me told me that since that happened, proposing to her right now wasn't the time. So I made myself wait until after Aria is born at least. That way, it'd be more special.

So I changed priorities. Return to Sweden, right back to her. It happened eventually, and I could sense a bit of her sadness that she tried to hide. "Soon..." I was telling her in my head every night she was sleeping at my side. I guess my return in the end was enough to distract her as well. It was for me as well.

Looking at the three of us now, tangled up in this luxurious suite bed, I know without an ounce of doubt that every second of waiting was worth it.

Those early days when I first came back to Sweden were filled with everything we wanted to do together. We settled in, spent nights drinking strawberry smoothies on the couch and mornings waking up wrapped around each other—so different from those lonely mornings and nights I'd spent jolting awake, drenched in cold sweat, haunted by the past's mess.

From years of complete misery, I ended up living a man's greatest dream. Be with a woman that loves me, and a child on the way, in the while taking baby steps towards the future we both always desired to live, overlooking the circumstances. It was all too good to be true. But it was true. And I wouldn't want to do anything else, other than cherish every second of it.

I still fight my own battles. Quietly. When the nightmares come and the doubt creeps in. But each time I wake up to find her beside me, she becomes my medicine, my drug—making me completely forget about everything.

However...it didn't take much longer for the effect of our past to resurface no matter how much we both tried to run away from it. The closer her labor was getting, the more quiet and melancholic she was getting. She was afraid of dying - or being the baby ripped out of her. In two words: relive what she saw back on the island. I tried to help, but my words, my affection...did nothing at all. Her psychiatrist prepared me for it already. Yet, I somehow hoped things wouldn't take a dark turn.

Our heavy downfall began the happiest day of my life. The moment our daughter was born.

The voices in her head began to take over. The same voices I had back in Raccoon City, and still faintly linger.

I had to keep it together. For her, and Aria.

-

I sway gently, cradling Aria in my arms, my index presses steadily on her pacifier so it won't slip out from her mouth as I slowly pace back and forth through the apartment. She's only a week old, and from what Vera told me, she's already showing signs of colic. Which means little to no sleep for a few months.

From the moment she arrived, sleep already had become a happy, distant memory. The quietitude of this place has been drowned by the constant crying and fussing.

The sweetest, yet most insufferable sound to most.

But how could I ever be mad at that? It's my daughter's cry. My own flesh and blood. This is her way of asking for my help. So no. I could never be mad. If anything, I find comfort in it. Proof she's here. Alive and healthy.

So with the patience I have, I keep moving, gently rocking her, tapping softly against the back of her diaper as we make slow circuits through the living room. Aria is curled up in my arms, her little body finally beginning to relax. Her cries have faded, and her blue eyes flutter, heavy in need of sleep. The pacifier bobs between her lips, soothing her more than I ever could with my voice.

For the first time in hours, the apartment has gone dead silent.

But not for long.

Suddenly, I hear the sound of our bedroom door opening. My head turns, seeing as (y/n) steps out, still pale and tender from the hospital, recovering from Aria's birth.

"Hey," I call out gently. "Slept well?"

She only responds with a nod, her gaze still avoiding Aria as she heads to the kitchen. She's scared to look at her. As if she will see an infected baby instead if she stares for too long.

Stepping out, she heads back to the bedroom and the moment it closes, I suppress a sigh. I look down upon Aria, finding her drifting off. Luckily enough, she doesn't understand anything.

This is how those 7 nights have passed. Me and Aria. Alone, taking full care of her. Because (y/n) couldn't hold her. She tried, but it was an impossible task. She was reminded of that night in Cuba. I knew that very well.

Nights passing with her writhing by my side returned, Saddler's name leaving her lips terrorized, blaming herself for Piers and Claire's death, her father's loss, and the fear of the parasite still lingering in us had conquered her. I made sure nothing would happen either to me, Aria, or her. She didn't believe me and I couldn't blame her. All I can do is understand. Stay by her side. Be there for her like she was for me...through everything.

My gaze returns to Aria, finding her finally collapsing into my lulling tactics. The moment the pacifier stops moving, I carefully remove it and adjust her featherlight weight against me as I head over to the secondary crib we've set up in the living room, so I can check in on (y/n).

But as I'm about to put her down, something stops me from doing it. I stare at the soft mattress with its pattern of tiny brown teddy bears, then glance toward our closed bedroom door where (y/n) hides herself away. What good would separating them do? She's already missing so many precious moments with her. Moments she'll never get back. And I can't let that happen, no matter the past.

So, instead of putting her down into the crib, I adjust Aria in my hold and I head towards the room.

Upon reaching the door, I glance back down at Aria one more time, how peaceful she looks compared to me and her mom. "Use your cuteness to charm mom," I whisper down at her sleeping form, before placing my hand on the handle, and slowly pushing open the door.

There she is, looking away from me and wipes hastily hear tears at the sound of my entrance. Naive she always was, thinking my notice instincts weren't sharp after all.

Without saying anything, I close the door behind me, my eyes nowhere else other than her form. I approach her cautiously, knowing she might not even want me in the room with her. Her head tilts slightly in acknowledgment, but the moment she realizes Aria is with me, I watch her physically withdraw - shoulders curling inward, making herself smaller.

I hate watching this. Most importantly, I hate being unable to do anything. How did we end up from being impatient for Aria's arrival to this?

Vera said her symptoms reveal fears of postnatal depression and the psychiatrist too, said her chances of getting it are high after her quite recent trauma. "Be patient," they'd said. "Keep an eye on her medication." Support her silently - that was their suggestion. But who the hell can guarantee that silence won't just make things worse?

Settling right beside her, I place my hand on her thigh as a gesture of support. My eyes roam over her features, taking in the slight puffiness around her eyes, urging me further to talk to her. After studying her for a bit more, I finally break the silence between us."How are you healing up?"

She tightly nods, responding curtly. "Good."

"That's great to hear," I respond, though her tone behind the word reveals almost immediately that it's a lie. My hand leaves her thigh, moving right to her beautiful face, index finds and wipes the tear she missed. "Want to tell me why you're crying?" I ask softly.

"I'm just overwhelmed from the birth," she explains, drawing in a long, shaky breath. Her eyes close momentarily, as if gathering strength. "I'll be okay."

But we both know well, that's complete bullshit.

"Do you want to be honest?"

"I am honest," she insists, her tone growing almost defensive. "I just need time to recover- process- all this. That's all."

"Process what? That you're here? Or that you're a mother?"

The words tumble out of my mouth, boring how she's gone quiet again. I might sound rough right now, but under it all, I'm desperate to help her. Even if my approach is far from perfect.

I shake my head lightly, glancing down at Aria's tiny form. Ironic how (y/n)'s the one who taught me to share our burdens, our worries. Yet when she gets this stubborn, she does exactly what I did. But this is the reason we're together.

"I know what you're going through right now...but I need you to understand that- we're long past this. Nothing happened and will happen to Aria."

This is what I also try to tell myself now. The only reason I haven't gone back to drinking till I pass out.

She sighs, shaking her head. "It's not just that, Leon. But everything that had happened during those months. I can't forget how they died...how my dad literally sacrificed himself," she looks at me, and I can hear the pain in her voice. "I miss him. I miss them all."

"I know," I place my hand over hers to hold it and intertwine our fingers. "But we can't keep living like this, (y/n). We have to move forward. We have a daughter now that needs both of us." Looking down at Aria peacefully sleeping against me, I remove my hand slowly. "Look at her," I gently mutter, trying to coax (y/n).

She refuses, but I don't give up just yet. Instead, I keep on.

"Look at her skin," I lift her limp, little arm. "It's clear, isn't it?"

When she finally takes a look, I notice the slightest shift in her brows. "...It is..." she acknowledges quietly, her gaze lingering on how impossibly small Aria's hand is compared to mine.

"She's perfectly healthy, (y/n). What she needs the most is her parents. Specially her mother," Mildly, I peel Aria away from my chest, holding her out toward (y/n). "Want to hold her?"

She looks at me skeptically, bringing her hands to rub them together nervously. I can feel the anxiousness radiating, as if I asked to hold a bomb.

"Don't worry, I changed her diaper an hour ago," I add in playfully, trying to enlighten the mood. Successfully, I make her chuckle. And I missed that sound. A lot.

Finally, after what feels like a whole eternity, she gradually extends her arms, her eyes never leaving our daughter. With utmost care, I carefully place Aria in (y/n)'s embrace without disturbing her sleep. The moment the baby settles in her arms, (y/n) instinctively brings her closer, arms blanketing her protectively. I sit in silence, noting how she looks down at her, paying attention to every single detail of hers.

But I can also see the hesitance etched into every line of (y/n)'s face while she holds our baby—like she's made of glass. This is actually the first time she's holding our daughter since she was born, and despite everything, I find myself getting lost in the sight of her. She looks more beautiful than ever.

Suddenly, a soft sniff breaks the silence and my head quickly ducks down, trying to catch a glimpse of her face. Tears are streaming down her cheeks again as she stares at our sleeping daughter. "...I'm sorry."

My brows narrow in confusion. "For what?"

"For this..." she sobs lightly, her body shuddering with a suppressed sob as she awkwardly tries to wipe away tears with the base of her palm while still securely holding Aria."Not being here for you. For her," she continues, her eyes finding mine, filled with remorse. The fact that she feels she needs to explain herself makes me wonder if I've failed her somehow, if I should have handled things differently. "I'm really trying, Leon. I want to be a good mom...and help you too...but every time I look at her...I look at the child that had died in our arms in Cuba. The mom that was killed right in front of me. Every time I look at her, I think she's gonna turn into something. And you...I'm scared something will happen to you as well."

I hear her desperate attempt to sum up everything that's gotten her like this, and that confession has me immediately closer to her, my hand instinctively rising to cup her cheek and make her face me. My thumb with gentleness wipe away the fresh tears trickling down her face.

"Back in Cuba, the only reason I survived was because you came back and operated me. You removed the parasite from me. When Krauser almost killed me in Umbrella's headquarters, you were the one who saved me again..."

When I was at my lowest, her face was the only stopped me from pulling the trigger. When I was mourning her, instead of giving up, I chose to keep going, trying to live for her and protect her family.

"Nothing's gonna happen to me if I have you. Understand?" I assure her, looking right into her eyes. "Remember what we always say to each other when things get rough..."

" 'We're in this together'. " She mutters with a weak smile appearing on her lips.

"Exactly," I affirm, looking back down at Aria. "Even though right now our biggest threat will be milk puke, sleepless nights, and biohazardous diaper blowouts."

She laughs a bit louder. "So don't apologize for anything. Anything at all. We're in Sweden, in our own place, with a perfectly healthy daughter- our daughter in your arms," I scoot closer to her, slowly wrapping my arm around her shoulder. "We deserve this in the end...don't we?"

She responds with a small but certain nod. Wanting to heal her sadness, even if just a little, I lean in and press my lips to hers in a gentle, reassuring kiss.

"..And I'm sure your dad and everyone else would tell you the same."

-

This was my sign. The perfect opportunity to show to her that life indeed goes on, and things do get better.

We indeed deserve it in the end...

-

"Come on, where are you taking me?" she asks curiously and I can hear the slight smile through her voice while I guide her gently through the apartment, her fingers lightly brushing over my hands that cover her eyes. In the bedroom, Aria's fast asleep, giving me the perfect opportunity to do what I've been planning.

"Just a few more steps and you'll see. No peeking, alright?"

"I'm not peeking," she objects.

I raise a playful eyebrow at her obvious lie. "That's why I feel your eyelids flutter, huh?"

She responds with another chuckle, until we finally stop at the doorway of the living room, right in front of the large window. My heart pounds in my chest as I take a deep breath and slowly remove my hands from her face, stepping back.

Here goes nothing.

"Okay. Open."

A second of silence passes, and to me, it feels like forever, where she stands there, completely frozen. And then, a gasp that leaves from her lips at the sight. The corner where she wanted to put the piano she'd been saving up for is now occupied with her white piano from her old place.

"Oh my god..."

I'd gone back and forth about this decision—whether to bring her old piano here or just buy her a new one for a birthday present. In the end, bringing her own seemed right. Because that piano carried so many memories for her.

"My piano..." she whispers, eyes wide with disbelief as she carefully approaches it, her fingers gliding across the glossy surface. It needed quite the work - tuning mostly and polishing the worn keys. And I can tell from the way her breath catches that the restoration, the guys did a great job.

I step closer, hands slipping into my pockets as I study her reaction, a warmth spreading through my chest at her happiness. It feels so good to watch a glimpse of her old self again.

"I thought you'd want your own piano instead of a new one... especially with all the memories it holds," I say softly, watching as her hand resting on top of the lid.

She's speechless for a moment, obviously caught up with emotion. "H-How? When?" she finally asks.

"Does it matter?" I reply with a shrug. "What matters is that you have a piano now for your studies and...you can finally bring the kids you're tutoring here. Now that we have Aria, it will take quite a while till you return to teaching outside." I move in front of her and gently wrap one arm around her waist, drawing her closer to me. "Happy birthday-"

I barely can finish my sentence before her arms wrap around my neck, hugging me so tight I can almost feel the oxygen cutting off in my throat. "Thank you." I hear her from my side as we sway very lightly together, and I can feel a small but genuine smile crossing my lips. Turning 26 this year. She deserved something nice.

But the most challenging part isn't here yet.

"Come on," I pat her back before pulling away slightly. "Wanna play something? You owe me a performance after all this trouble I got."

"Ugh...I don't know. I haven't played a proper piece in so long," she says as she pulls away, though she already turns her full attention to the instrument, clearly eager despite her protests.

"You'll find something. I trust you." I encourage her.

She seems to actually agree as she turns her body fully onto the piano. Suddenly, I feel there's not enough air in the room and my cheeks are burning from the anxiousness. Why the fuck am I so nervous?

The moment she opens the lid, there it is...the small black velvet box nestled amongst the keys. Her movements freeze mid-motion, and I find myself swallowing thickly, my heart suddenly pounding against my ribcage.

"What's this?" she asks slowly, curiosity apparent in her voice before she goes completely silent the moment she opens the little box. There lies the exact same ring—well, a duplicate of course. After knowing where the original had been, Ava could take it instead at this point, paying me back half of the money after insisting I didn't need them.

As for the ring...I chose exactly what I imagined would look delicate on her finger. Nothing too flashy. A simple platinum band with a modest one-carat diamond solitaire at its center. Classic and timeless—just like her. I've spent three months' salary on it, costing me close to 15K. And honestly? It's worth every penny just to see her expression now.

The stillness returns again. She just looks down at the ring, her fingers slightly tremble - from the shock I assume. I can feel my own awkwardness radiating through me as I try to remember how to make this moment special. But my mind is completely empty and I'm working now on auto-pilot. I only slowly kneel with one foot before her and take the box from her hand.

"...I was...planning on doing this way before but uh...Irene had different plans for us," I pause, clearing my throat.

I can't find the right words to articulate. There's so much I want to tell her, but I don't know where to start or how to express it properly.

I only take her hand I want to put the ring on, and finally tell myself quietly to muster the courage and look up at her. "...It's been 3 years. And surely it's been one hell of a ride..."

Her looking down on me makes me anxious. Am I doing this right? How do I propose? Is this even the right moment? The right setting?

I exhale deeply, closing my eyes as I try to calm down. "Look. I really don't know what to say. I was never good with words-you know this better than anyone else..." I look down as the box balances between my fingers. "...but what I can tell you is that- I-...I want to be with you." I say bluntly. "I want to continue comforting you at your lowest and cheer you at your highest. I want...I want to be there for you and assure you that with me, you have nothing to be scared of...and I want to be there for you to love you. All the same way you always did." 

My tongue begins to loosen as the words flow more naturally now, giving me the bravery to tell her things I promised to forget. "When you were to Japan, I was completely lost. My mind was playing games on me. I regretted every single moment spent where I couldn't tell you what I really felt about you. Pushing you away constantly, and doubting you even for a moment back at the base. How I didn't tell you for once that I love you-" The flashbacks of that year without her, passing out at her place, begin to overwhelm me. "I don't want that to happen again."

Slowly, I remove the ring from the box and hold it right above her ring finger, the diamond catching the light. "And that...I promise you I'll keep going after you. Wherever you go. Sweden, Italy, Antarctica—even space. Anywhere."

I might messed up. Might've as well sounded embarrassing. But she had to know everything I feel.

With that, I finally look up at her and ask those four words that I've been waiting to ask for months: "Will you marry me?"

----

There's no reason to remember anything else the moment she said yes.

Three months later, and here we are. The morning after the wedding, in the hotel's wedding suite, looking at my own wedding ring. I didn't want to wait for a moment longer. And neither did she.

My gaze falls upon her. Palm gently cups her cheek, and thumb with the utmost tenderness rubbing softly against her skin. I had realized long ago when I was mourning her that I had fallen like a complete fool, so deeply for her, and I don't regret any second of it.

"Mmplah!" Aria's loud babble cuts me through the past's thoughts. Her tiny body wriggles energetically and wriggles grab my attention and return my full focus on her. She's just like her mother. Always direct when asking for affection.

Pushing myself up on the bed, I carefully reach over and take her in my arms, settling back against the headboard. Her tiny head finds its place against my bare chest, her little eyes fluttering at the steady rhythm of my heartbeat beneath her ear. My fingers comb the barely there fuzz on her head as she scrunches up in my arms.

Looking down at her face, I run my index against her button nose. I can't still can't really tell if she looks like me or (y/n). The way I see it, she has inherited my face but carries (y/n)'s tones. It doesn't matter to me anyway. None of that matters.

"You hungry?" I ask quietly, my voice still rough and hoarse from sleep while I drag my finger lightly down on her little bottom lip, noticing one tiny tooth starting to poke out very faintly from her bottom gum. Her tiny hand immediately grasps my forefinger with surprising strength, and she begins to chew on it with determination. A soft, small smile appears on my lips, taking her gesture as a solid yes. "You have to wait for mom to wake up-"

The sharp knock on our hotel room door interrupts my words, and my smile falters completely. My brows lower, narrowing to the point where the lines of my forehead crease deeply as my face returns to its default stern expression. As I've said before, I'm still fighting the demons of the past quietly on my own, making me almost unhealthily overprotective and cautious. Especially taking in the recent past yet again..and what happened last time at the Hilton Hotel...

So, I quickly take action and rise from the bed, tucking Aria on the crib to (y/n)'s side and grabbing my trousers from the chair, putting them on hastily. Next, I'm already at the closet, retrieving my gun. Just in case. I grab my badge as well. Illegal to carry off-duty, I know... but better be safe than sorry when it comes to my family.

Heading towards the door with silent steps, I stand right in front and peek through the peephole. For a moment, I let out a quiet sigh of relief when I see it's just hotel staff standing outside the suite. But old habits die hard, and I still remain alert.

Hiding the gun behind my back, I slowly open the door just enough to see the reception staff member standing there with a cart, filled with breakfast. Through the narrow opening, I consider everything—his uniform, his body language, the contents of the cart. Nothing escapes my scrutiny.

"Good morning. We brought breakfast for the wedding suite," he says in broken English, though his tone is genuine and friendly.

Opening, I step aside while holding the door. "You can leave it there," I instruct sternly, pointing to a spot just inside the doorway so he doesn't get further inside the room.

The staff enters and leaves the cart exactly to the spot I asked, before bringing his hands behind his back.

"Tack själv." I offer in Swedish, watching the staff smiling appreciatively. He acknowledges me with a simple nod before turning away, his shoes making soft sounds against the hallway floor that show he's leaving.

My eyes never leave his back until he disappears completely from view. Only then do I secure the door, sliding the chain lock into place with a satisfying click. A heavy sigh escapes me as I pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration at my own paranoia. I head back to the closet and carefully sheath my gun back into its holster, tucking it away, before (y/n) wakes up.

Umbrella is still out there somewhere. Far away from us, but still out there. And as long as that corporation still exists, there's no day off for me. Especially when it comes to my wife and daughter.

For them, I will kill anyone who tries to harm them without hesitation. For them, I will burn the whole world if I have to.

- - - - -

"Ugh, why do you have to be so cute?" Claire groans as she cradles Aria, whose eyes are curiously on Claire. Next to her sits Chris, speaking on the phone while Piers walks back from the bathroom, fixing up his shirt buttons as his eyes scan the packed room, trying to spot the rest of their crew in the wedding after-party.

A warm hand rests on Claire's bare shoulder, causing her to look up. Carlos, one of Leon's best men, towers above her in his perfectly tailored tuxedo, his expression amused as he looks down at Claire and the infant in her arms.

"You've been babysitting her since we arrived at the ceremony," he says, observing with warmth in his eyes the way Claire is holding her.

"How can I not? Just look at her." She coos at the baby, gently bouncing her, which elicits giggles and incomprehensible babbles that somehow manage to cut through the pleasant air, and noise of clinking glasses and distant music.

A few meters away, his 'rival', Clay. Yeah, these two don't have the best relationship. Love triangles suck.

Luis next, the missing heart of the party arrives, looking as slick in his tux with his usual charm radiating from miles. Julia's right there with him, her arm hooked around his bicep, into a cyan long dress green that makes her glow. Looks like Julia didn't just say yes to dinner with Luis but agreed to be his company at the wedding too. Though...they missed the ceremony completely.

Navigating through the lively crowd, tispy guests, and swaying couples, they search for the table where the team is seated. And the moment Luis finally spots them, his gaze falls immediately upon the newest 'member of the team': little Aria. For perhaps the first time in history, Luis's charm momentarily fades, transformed into pure, unfiltered awe.

"Look at this señorita junior, eh!" Luis exclaims, his face softening and a genuine smile spreading across his lips as he approaches the table, his eyes never leaving the baby. Julia smiles beside him as Luis leans down to get closer to Aria's eye level. "You know, princess, with a mami like yours, I bet you will conquer many Sanchos just like your papi," he coos, gently tapping her button nose with his index finger.

"If the boys won't run away once they see who her father is," Claire adds with a laugh, also adopting a baby voice. Just then, with a final click, Chris ends his phone call and slips his phone into his pocket as Piers settles back into his seat at the table, straightening his bow tie.

This feels so different, having the team right here. A stark contrast from what everyone had endured a few months ago, in an underground base.

"What took you so long? You missed the entire ceremony." Piers says, with his usual stern and authoritative tone.

"Ah." Luis dismisses with a scoff, suddenly caring a lot to adjust his blazer, avoiding to look at Piers. "We ran into heavy traffic. It was hell, let me tell you."

But Carlos knows Luis way too well. And he knows this is just a very dumb excuse. "Ahan... and exactly how long did this 'traffic' last?" he asks pointedly, nodding at the obvious smear of red lipstick staining both Luis's white collar and the side of his neck.

Luis chuckles awkwardly, running his fingers through his slightly disheveled dark brown hair in a vain attempt to restore some order to it. "Oh come on, don't be so lewd," he protests weakly.

"I'm being lewd?" Carlos counters incredulously. "You two were the ones who got freaky even on someone else's wedding day."

"Where's (y/n)?" Julia asks, trying to stir the conversation away from her and Luis.

"There." Claire points and the whole team turns their gazes fall upon the newleds. Ever seen that one couple where they're all honey and blues? That's them. And rightfully so at this point.

"Who would have ever thought I'd see Leon as a groom, getting married?" Carlos says with genuine wonder in his voice as he watches them.

"Who would ever thought, we'd see Sancho's full face," Luis follows with his usual tease, pointing with his gaze at Leon's groomed hair backwards.

"Leave him alone, you two." Claire slaps playfully Luis's arm.

But Luis continues, unable to resist one more jab."Look at him. Smiling like a fool." He drains his champagne glass and sets it down with a soft thud. "I'll go and check up on him."

--

And here's you. In your wedding dress, sharing the first waltz dance with Leon. Though probably everyone is eating and chatting, you can't help but still feel the center of the attention, making you nothing more than to shrink to yourself.

But at this moment, you don't want to focus on anything else other than Leon. One hand rests on his shoulder as the other is intertwined with him, swaying slowly to the rhythm while his eyes never leave yours. He looks so handsome with his hair slicked back, clean shaved face, and a tuxedo that highlights his shoulder even more. It almost hurts to watch him - how good he looks.

"You okay?" he asks and you tightly nod.

"Yeah- just- you should slick your hair backward more. It suits you," you mutter softly with a smile.

"I will. Only if you promise me to smile more too. It suits you," Leon retorts, making you blush.

"We have a deal then." Suddenly, you feels Leon's lips right onto yours, before pulling away. And god...each time he kisses you, it feels like the first time.

"I love you." He follows with these three little words that grow more confident to him each time he says them to you.

"I love you too."

"Aaaaabaaaa!" Aria's babbles make both of you turn your heads, watching as she looks back at you and wiggles around in Claire's arms. She seems to be in distress. Next to her is Luis, waving with a mischievous grin at you, Julia right by his side. Looks like they finally decided to show up. Always late to everything. Even today.

"Is she crying?" you ask.

"Probably. She saw Luis."

You try to suppress a laugh at how seriously he had said this. And speaking of Luis, you catch him rising from the chair and passing through the not-so-busy crowd that dances to the side, until he reaches you. 

"Found your way here I see." Leon ironically greets Luis, causing his eyes to roll. "What do you want?"

"Mind handing me your wife for a dance? Your daughter is asking for you in the most dramatic way possible." Luis requests, making you laugh softly as you and Leon pull apart, giving you a chance to adjust your dress.

Leon already makes his way towards your daughter while you slowly take position, one hand on Luis's shoulder, the other holding his hand as you both begin to sway to the music. The first thing Luis does? Make sure you know how good you look in your dress - his eyes moving down your body before returning to your face.

"You look good, señorita."

"Thank you, Luis," you reply tenderly while he takes the lead and gently twirls you around, appreciating how your hair is carefully combed, the way the dress clings on you, and the apparent smile of joy in your face.

A dramatic sigh escapes his lips. "I saw you first, but you chose him instead," he shakes his head with exaggerated disappointment as you continue swaying to the song.

"Don't take it personally. We just clicked better," you chuckle.

"Ah, I don't mind it anymore. Rejection happens even to the best of us," you roll your eyes playfully. "Plus, I got with Julia," he adds, looking toward where Julia sits, but his stare catches on Leon instead. "Look at him, look at him," he urges you to follow his gaze, and a soft smile spreads across your face at what you see: Leon at the team's table, already cradling the baby to calm her down. "Dios mío, señorita. Looks like she's got him wrapped around her tiny pinky."

"Yeah," you follow his gaze. "He loves her a lot..."

But then your eyes fall on your dad, who's approaching the table where the team is sitting. He stands next to Leon with a big, proud smile as he plays peekaboo with his granddaughter while she's in Leon's arms.

Your smile fades. You hadn't seen him since he passed away. And all of this hits you. He never got the chance to meet Leon as your boyfriend..neither as your husband. He never got to meet his granddaughter...he might not have been the best parent when growing up, but you know he'd be the best granddad.

Next to him is the rest of the team: Claire, Carlos, Chris...Piers—making you slowly turn back to Luis. The memory of his betrayal stings fresh again. You shouldn't be dancing with him. Not when Claire, Carlos, and Piers died because of him...

But you don't pull away just yet. Your smile just had disappeared completely.

"Why Luis?" you finally ask quietly the question you had kept for him from the moment he gave you away to Umbrella so heartlessly. So easily. "I thought we were a team...We spend- countless days in an underground base. We trusted each other. Why did you do this to us?"

However, Luis's smile doesn't disappear. "Even Carlos forgave me. You're still holding onto that anger?"

Your brows furrow together at his words making you instinctively glance across the room to where Carlos stands with Claire, both swaying in their own waltz. The sight of them together stirs memories of how close those two had been, especially Claire's pain when Carlos had died.

"You know," Luis's voice draws your attention back to him, his expression now serious. "Sometimes, you have to step on your morals to protect the people who need protection the most."

He begins, but you fail to catch anything from what he says.

"I did it, and I will admit...it was a pretty brainless thing to side with Umbrella. But I tried from the beginning to change the outcome. And in the end, I want to think I did it...even if I failed on the biggest part..." he looks at you with genuine remorse. Guilt. His playfulness had long gone now disappeared. "Everything happens for a reason, señorita. The losses you endured, the birth of Aria," suddenly, he stops swaying with you, his hands growing still against yours. "We can't change the past. But we can control the present to change the future. Don't let our deaths impact you negatively. Instead—keep the good moments you spent alive with them."

The tears begin to blur your vision, looking lost at Luis as he slowly pulls away from you, the warmth of his touch lingering for a moment before he finally removes his hands from yours.

"Well, looks like you're about to wake up, señorita," he says with a knowing smile. "Even though Claire and your father were waiting to have a chat with you."

Your brow furrows in confusion through the tears, the realization dawning slowly. "But you just got here...you're leaving already?"

"Don't worry, this won't be the last time we meet each other," he turns around and begins to walk towards the double doors at the exit of the building where the celebration is taking place. But before he leaves, he turns one last time at you and offers a weak smile.

"Congratulations on the wedding, Mrs. Kennedy."

----

"You're alright," Leon's gentle voice prompts your eyes to open, finding yourself in the hotel's suite instead of the dancing floor, with Leon pacing back and forth slowly as he cradles Aria. On the nightstand beside you, he's left a small tray filled with breakfast next to a serving cart.

It was just a dream. One clearly influenced by yesterday's wedding and filled with the people you wished could have been present by yours and Leon's side.

Your dad...Claire, Piers, Carlos...even Luis, were probably present too. Even though, not physically.

This is the ending all of them deserved to have.

----