Disclaimer : Nope...I still don't own Resident Evil...one day Capcom...

"Hey, young man? I asked if ya needed another." A burly man repeated to a weary looking stranger. The man quickly looked up at the bartender, slightly startled. He mumbled a quick yes, and received his amber colored drink. Miller High Life...Leon's favorite beer. Not too expensive, not too cheap. That's what the government agent liked about the drink. It was simple and ineloquent, just like him. The bartender shot him an accusing gaze, and Leon quickly reached into his back pocket for his wallet. After a bit of fumbling, he managed to pluck out three dollars, and hand it to the portlier man. The bartender managed a gruff thanks, and went about wiping the counters with a dish rag. Leon grabbed the bottle by it's neck, and took a long swig.

How the hell did I wind up like this? Working for the government? Always weary, and alone?

Leon let out a deep sigh, and pushed a lock of his strawberry blonde hair behind his ear that was obscuring his vision. He knew exactly how he got here. It was the same reason that he always blamed his problems on. It was the reason that kept him up on countless nights.

Raccoon City...

Leon took another long swig of the bitter liquid, and thought back to that day, which was almost seven years ago. September 29, 1998. It was a day he would never forget, in a city that no one would ever forget. He was only twenty-one at the time, and it definitely showed. Leon remembered being so excited about getting accepted into the Raccoon Police Department, even though it was located in a city that he'd only been to once. At the time it seemed unimportant to the rookie cop, who was optimistic about his career, which he was sure would be long and enjoyable. After all, he'd aced all of his exams, both physical and mental. He felt like he could take on any obstacle that lay in his path. That was until he actually arrived in the city, eager to begin his first day.

Leon put his thoughts on hold as he ordered another beer. The bartender obliged, without a single word. As he twisted the cap off, he once again began to dwell on his thoughts. He remembered spotting a body of what looked like an accident victim.

Damn, was this a hit and run? My first day on the job, and I'm already going to have to fill out an accident report!

Leon smirked at his own past reaction, and continued to watch the movie play out in his head. He bent over to inspect the victim, only to discover that there was no pulse. He was pondering the idea of trying to resuscitate the woman, when footsteps interrupted his thoughts. He turned around, and noticed a group of people walking towards him. Actually, walking wasn't exactly the best term to describe their movements. The term Leon used in his head was "saunter lazily". It almost seemed as if they were sleep walking. When they got closer, the rookie cop began to feel as if something wasn't right. At first he thought that the people just wanted to see what was going on, but when they shuffled closer, and he got a good look at the nearest man's face, his jaw dropped. The man's face was in the process of decaying, and his eyes were glazed over. Raw bits of flesh hung from the "man's" mouth, and he was closing the gap between him and the stunned cop. When the rest of the group rambled into view, he noticed some similarities. Horrified, the young man drew his gun, as a precaution. One man was burned badly, and the side of his face was charred. There was another man who looked like his jaw was broken, and was only hanging on by a string of rotting skin. Then, there was the woman gnawing on his boot...

Holy frick, I thought she was dead!

The shocked cop aimed and fired at the woman's head. He then turned on the group, and began firing. When they weren't fazed by the shots, Leon was finally convinced that whatever they were, they definitely weren't human...anymore. Hearing a noise, he turned and saw a woman with one of those creatures behind her. He drew his gun and instructed the young woman to duck. When the sights of his gun were free from the woman's presence, he fired the shot into the undead monster's head, crippling it. The two quickly entered a nearby police car, and set off for the Raccoon Police Department. Shortly after a brief introduction, the two were separated by a maniacal truck driver and tossed into a nightmare they couldn't begin to comprehend at the time.

Claire Redfield...

Leon took a sip from his new bottle of Miller. He hadn't seen Claire in years. After Raccoon City, they grew more and more distant. Hell, the last time he talked to Claire was two days after he got back from Spain...and that was eight months ago. When Claire and her brother returned from Antarctica, she was a mess. Apparently, she met a young man on Rockfort Island, and they escaped together. She insisted that they were just friends, but Leon could see the hurt in her eyes. It was a pain that Leon was all too familiar with. The type of pain that only occurs when you lose someone you love.

Ahh...yes. The kind of pain you drink away...

The bartender cocked an eyebrow when Leon asked for another beer. This would make his sixth one tonight. That, and he only arrived at the bar an hour and thirty minutes ago.

"Hey buddy, I think ya had enough...I don't think ya can drive in that condition." the bartender observed with a stern look. Leon just smirked at the older man.

"My apartment is just a couple of blocks away, and I didn't drive. Besides, I work for the government, and a DUI would get me fired." Leon replied coolly. The bartender chuckled and grabbed the long neck bottle.

"The government, eh? What kinda work ya do?" the bartender inquired with a puzzled expression.

"The kind that's classified." Leon replied, glaring at the older gentleman. The bartender raised his eyebrows briefly, before retreating to the back. Apparently, he got the hint. Leon sighed, and popped the top off of the bottle. He raised the beverage to his lips thoughtfully, staring into space. He closed his eyes, and drank deeply. Oh, how Leon hated his job sometimes. Once he returned from Spain with Ashley, he had asked to be reassigned. It was nothing against the President's daughter personally, but the job was a little too cushy for Leon's tastes. He preferred to battle in the trenches. Why, he did not know, because most of the time it only caused him pain. But, babysitting Ashley would get old fast. Not to mention the fact that she acted like a love stricken puppy whenever he was around her. It was sometimes embarrassing, and always annoying. But, all in all, she was a good kid.

For God sakes Kennedy, she's twenty years old. She's no more a kid than you, when you were in Raccoon City.

Sighing, Leon decided that it was probably time to leave. He had to be at work at six o'clock tomorrow, and he knew for a fact that he was going to have a killer hangover.

"Last call buddy. Anything I can get ya?" the bartender once again interrupted Leon's thoughts.

To Hell with it Kennedy...you might as well.

"Yeah, I'll have the same." Leon replied, fishing for his wallet. The bartender nodded and handed him the bottle, while he laid the money on the counter. Leon knew for a fact that tomorrow was going to suck. But then again, when didn't it? Leon wondered if they even needed him anymore.

I'm just another gear in the assembly line...

Leon sighed and took a swig of his new beverage. He was actually trying to avoid a certain subject. He always did, but he never won. It always came back to her. Anytime Leon had a few moments to think to himself, he always spent them in his mind with the mysterious woman in red. He wasn't completely sure why she had managed to stay with him since Raccoon City.

September 29, 1998...it keeps coming back to this day...

Leon thought that she had died in the city. He thought that she was just another one of Umbrella's numerous casualties. He was proven wrong eight months ago in Spain when she showed up again. Leon had heard rumors that she was still alive, but he didn't want to believe them. He didn't want to be tricked into having false hope, just to be crushed again. Even though he didn't want to believe them, he still secretly hoped and prayed to a higher power that she had somehow, miraculously survived. She was even more gorgeous than he remembered, which if his memory served him correct, was hard to top. Her hair was longer, but she was the same elusive spy he had met six years ago. The only thing that seemed different was the fact that she was more playful and seductive, which made it increasingly difficult for Leon to focus on his mission.

The bartender's eyes distracted Leon from his thoughts. He noticed that they kept glancing at the clock impatiently. He lightly chuckled, and guzzled the remaining draft. Leon could tell that the bartender wanted to close up and go home. He couldn't really blame the guy, so he grabbed his jacket and walked towards the door. When he reached the knob, he suddenly stopped, and turned around.

"Hey, what's your name?" Leon asked out of the blue. The bartender looked slightly confused and annoyed, but answered anyway.

"Name's Carl. You?" he asked.

"Leon. Leon Kennedy." the agent replied.

"I'll see ya around Leon." Carl replied, with a slight wave.

"Yeah...take it easy." Leon spoke, slightly slurring his words. He then turned and exited the small bar, heading in the direction of his apartment building. While he was walking he saw a happy married couple pass. They were laughing and joking and obviously deep in love. Leon let out a sigh as he watched the couple go. He was jealous. He was jealous because he knew that he would probably never have a wife. He'd probably never have kids, or a two story house with a white picket fence. That is, after all the American dream. Not that Leon gave a damn about the "American dream". All he wanted was her.

God Ada, I miss you...

--

Yeah, I have no idea how long this will be, but hopefully it will turn out good! I had so many left over Leon/Ada ideas from "Say Anything", that I decided to start this. Anyway, sorry about the boring chapter, but it's just the prologue after all..

Rate and review please...they motivate more than you know!.