"Ezio…er..about that night in the Villa." Caterina's beautiful large emerald eyes looked up at him and Ezio was instantly transported to that very night she was referring to.

He had just arrived in Monteriggioni after escaping from Rome with the Apple and after an argument with the other Assassins regarding why he hadn't killed off Rodrigo Borgia, he had taken off to his bedroom and greeted by a half-naked Caterina Sforza.

Ezio would never forget that passionate night of lovemaking and waking up in Caterina's arms. He still couldn't forget the image of her sleeping while the sun shone through the window and threw its glow on her porcelain skin. He had felt a surge of emotion that he could only describe as love.

Now with her in his arms after she had been injured, he could only feel elation and the needling of his own voice that he should profess his love for her.

"Yes, what about it?" Ezio asked, wondering how he was going to put his feelings into words. This was probably not the best time to tell her all that he felt. They were trying to escape the castle and the Borgia's clutches. Once they were safe in Rome, he would ask her if they should pursue a relationship.

In fact he should probably dissuade her from speaking about…

"I needed your help." Caterina cut into his thoughts.

"Oh?" Ezio couldn't understand at first what Caterina was getting at. Then when she shied away from him and her eyes refused to meet his, he began to gather what she was attempting to say. "Why don't you tell me exactly what you mean?"

Caterina kept her hands clasped around his neck and then found the courage to look at him. "I needed your assistance and thought that the only way I could count on you was if I…er…spent the night…"

"Okay, I got it!" Ezio said sharply then breathed deeply hoping Caterina wouldn't notice how crushed he was at hearing her admission. She used him? All so he could help her?

"Then you understand?"

"That it was all politics!" Ezio said through gritted teeth. Of course everything had to be about his Assassin duties. Did no one ever see the man inside the hood? He wasn't only an Assassin He was a man who wanted to be loved and cared for. Instead all he ever did was take care of everyone and be used by beautiful women.

"Ezio, are you okay?" she asked and he saw that she had her hand on his chest and could probably feel his raised heartbeats.

"Yes!" Ezio said, almost screaming at her. His grip on her tightened and she let out a tiny gasp. "I'll have to set you down now." Ezio said, refraining from throwing her down and hurting her. He needed Caterina just as much as she needed him but he would never resort to seducing her for her help.

He didn't want to think it, but the only words that ran through his mind was what a bitch she was.

"Ezio, what is…?"

"There are guards there Caterina!" Ezio scolded. "I can't carry you and kill them, now can I?"

"Of course." Caterina said.

Ezio stomped towards the two guards standing by the doorway with their backs turned and plunged his hidden blades at them with force. Blood spluttered from their throats and some of it splattered on his white cloak.

Ezio could just scream in frustration. It would take ages for the blood stains to be removed from his clothes.

Caterina waited for him as he returned and then held up her arms like a child waiting to be picked up. Ezio didn't look at her as he took her in his arms again in one swoop.

He stepped over the guard's corpses and heard a swishing sound as his boots hit the puddle.

"So much blood." Caterina remarked, turning her head and looking at the corpses.

"I stabbed them in the necks." Ezio said, wishing he wasn't still so angry.

"A bit brutal, don't you think?"

"Oh, excuse me, Caterina!" Ezio said sarcastically. "Was I supposed to seduce them and then use them for ulterior motives?"

"Ezio! Oh dear, I shouldn't have told you." Caterina said regretfully.

"No, I rather have the truth than more of your lies." Ezio said. "I was just hoping…"

"Hoping what?" Caterina asked.

Ezio clamped his mouth shut. He wasn't going to humiliate himself further by confessing his feelings for her. No, he would get over her in some other way.

"Nothing. Now, which was the exit?" he asked.

Caterina shrugged. "I was unconscious when I was brought in, but I think we should go left."

Ezio turned right on purpose, still fuming and came to an opening in the floor from which he had come in stealthily. He didn't have to take Caterina through there as there was another exit, but he was too tired and too angry to go all the way back.

"Don't you dare!" Caterina told him when she looked down.

"What?" Ezio asked. "There's a haystack right below."

"My ankle hurts!" Caterina whined. "I might injure it further."

"It's a big pile of hay." Ezio said. "It'll cushion your fall."

"Nuh-uh." Caterina said. "Let's go back."

"You do know you're not as light as you think you are." Ezio told her. "I can't carry your weight for such a long time."

"Are you implying I'm fat?" Caterina started to get angry.

"That's not what I meant. I was saying…"

"That I'm fat." Caterina huffed. "I refuse to be dropped down like a potato. You'll just have to carry me back and…and…what are you doing?"

Ezio walked over to the gate and held out his arms.

"No!" Caterina screamed and Ezio dropped her down.

Caterina's arms flailed wildly and when she fell onto the pile of hay, she bounced and rolled down it, hitting the floor.

"Ow!" Caterina cried, clutching her arm.

Ezio snorted with laughter at first and then when he saw her clutching her arm, grew concerned.

"Are you hurt?"

Caterina looked up at him with a frown. "I think I bruised it." She said, rubbing her arm. Then she pinched the skin near her elbow and pouted. "Is that a cut? Am I bleeding?"

"I think that's just straw." Ezio said, kneeling forward.

Caterina picked out the straw and held it between her fingers. "Oh. But I could have been seriously hurt."

"Hmm." Ezio said, uninterestedly. "Now move so I can perform a leap of faith."

Caterina looked up. "What did you say?"

Too late, Ezio realized that Caterina hadn't heard him and he found himself falling on top of Caterina.

"Aaaahhhhowwww!" Caterina yelped.

Ezio picked himself up and dusted away the hay. "Er…are you okay?"

"You did this on purpose!" Caterina screeched.

"I did tell you to move." Ezio said sheepishly.

"You could have said it louder."

"I did!" Ezio said defensively. "Now come on. And stop screaming or we might alert all the guards present here."

"You're angry with me because I used you." She cried.

"No, I'm angry with you because you slept with me and made me think that there was something between us." He accused. "Nevertheless, falling on top of you was just an accident. I would never hurt you despite how you treat me."

Caterina looked down and Ezio could see tears in her eyes. "I am sorry." She said. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"But you did." Ezio said and then held out a hand. "I will learn to forgive you in time, but now we must rush from here. The guards may come at any moment."

Caterina nodded and took his hand. "Let us leave then. Oh and Ezio…." He turned to look at her. "I really am sorry." She said. "I shouldn't have done that."

Ezio nodded but said nothing.

"So tell me." She said as Ezio took her in his arms again. "Did you purposely fall on me?"

Ezio pressed his lips together and decided not to say anything.