The room is filled with static noise as Leon opens his eyes, finding himself to be sitting comfortably on a long, living room couch positioned just in front of a TV set. Â Complete with speakers.
"Whoever lives here’s pretty much outdone himself…"
He slowly straightens himself up and surveys the area from where he sat. Â He notices some jackets hanging by what looks like the doorway, and immediately recognizes one or two. Â Furrowing his eyebrows, he strays away from the door to the other side of the living room, where he guesses a drawer or a cabinet should be with picture frames on top. Â From afar, he can make out an old photo of him back before he landed on the job in Raccoon City. Â He huffs to himself.
"Either I have quite the dedicated fan, or I own the place."
Grumbling, he only then notices the TV controller in his hand and turns the machine off. Â Just as he did, a set of footsteps come into the room.
“Finally, you’re awake!” a child’s voice says.
Leon looks up to meet the owner of the voice—and it wasn’t anyone he was familiar with.  Except, maybe the shady blue eyes that pierce right through him.  Standing by the doorway was a little girl of about four or five years old.  Her face was covered by delicate golden brown hair tucked behind the ear on one side.  She strides towards him, stopping just right in front of him which only got him tense.
"How long do you think you’re gonna sit there, Dad?" The little girl puffs her cheeks, mimicking authority as she places her hands on either side of her waist.
Dad? Â Did I hear that right?
"Uh…"
The agent’s mind scrambles for answers, tempting him to look away and back at the drawers to see if there were any clues he can jumble up together to explain the presence of this little girl before him.  But before he could give a proper reply, the girl pouts at him.
"Mom’s in the kitchen.  Go help her!"
Suddenly ordering him, her cheeks flush bright red as she hastily held Leon’s limp hand.  Forced to stand, he drops the controller and follows the little girl down a small hallway, fully aware of the grip the soft small hand has on his.  Though his mind slowly turns into a confused mush of goo, he begins to feel a melting warmth in his chest.
Time seems to slow down as they ran down the hall.  This… this little girl… could she be his..?
She lets go, and disappears into a bright room which welcomes him with the enticing scent of oriental spices. Â He squints and peers from behind the wall. Â The brightness seems to come from a window above what looks like a kitchen sink, and in front of it was a figure.
"I see you’re up," the figure says.
That voice…
The light starts to clear away slowly, like how the effects of a flash grenade wears out…
Slowly, but surely, Leon starts making out the back of a woman in red…
———
The first thing he did when he woke up was grab a glass from the compartment in the kitchen and emptied the contents of his flask into it. Â His mouth had gone dry, and water seemed only enough to wash his face awake.
The windows were big enough for him to perch and watch the early morning go by. Â He sipped from the glass bountifully, taking in the breeze and the view the academy offered. Â He amused himself for a while by watching college students brisk away to their classes.
The thought of one day seeing his own kid going to college zipped through his mind... and he downed the glass with a sarcastic "Hmph."
