Never Far

By: Sailorjj07

Chapter 1

A/n: I'm such a glutton for punishment. I barely finish stories before I start writing other ones, lol.

The rating for this fic will change. I'm hoping to make this my first M rated Assassin's Creed fic. I actually want to get more practice writing steamy stuff. I think the only way to improve one's writing is to write more, so why not use my favorite AC pairing?

This fic will occur in a modern AU. Hopefully, the characters aren't too OOC. If they are, be sure to let me know. I hope you guys enjoy!

Summary: Connor is the heir of a major textiles corporation. His family has agreed to an arranged marriage with the daughter of a prestigious, but struggling company. Connor is thrilled but his bride-to-be? Not so much. Connorline!

Disclaimer: I do not own!

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Actions

(Me!)

Children are good at living in the now. The future seems so far away from them, millions of years out of reach, because right now, today, is everything.

If Connor had known his future as a child, he would have tried harder. He would have done his part to plant those very important seeds earlier, to save himself heartache later.

But of course, as a child, Connor never knew. He had no idea.

The first time he met her, Connor was the tender age of five. She was two months away from turning ten herself, but to him, she was much older than that. She was a kid, but she was definitely a bigger kid than he was. She was already in school; she had more responsibilities.

He had been starstruck by her maturity and knowledge.

"Connor, say hello to Aveline," his mother had said to him, sweetly and gently.

For Connor, meeting another kid was rare. As an only child, his Mother did her best to keep him away from the eyes of others. The only kids Connor played with were his cousins and his friends from the Reservation. Connor never questioned why his playmates were so limited, or why he couldn't go to school with everyone else. His cousin, Kanen'tó:kon, told him that it was because of his grandmother's job. The company that all the adults worked for. Connor didn't understand that at five. He just knew that there weren't any other children to play with at home.

"There's no need to be shy, son." Haytham nudged his son forward, who frowned at him with expressive amber eyes.

The girl in front of him grinned, stepping away from her parents with a wide smile. She wore her hair in two braided pigtails, her eyes glowing a warm shade of green that reminded him of the trees.

His mother had called her Aveline. He liked that name.

"Come on, Connor, let's go play!" Without asking for Connor's permission, Aveline grabbed his hand and began to tug him away from the four adults that were laughing to themselves.

"Ista?" As much as he wanted to run off and go play with this bright and warm new person, Connor remembered his manners.

"It's okay, Ratonhnhaké:ton. You can go." Kaniehtí:io shooed her son away with a smile, and the two children ran off to play while the adults did whatever it was that they were doing.

Connor didn't see Aveline again until he was 11 years old and she, 16. It was the middle of the summer and his parents had a meeting with hers. She had braces and he was shorter than her, but that didn't matter to him. Connor remembered the little girl who had played with him for an entire day with no reservations; who laughed and told him stories about her friends at school.

Connor wasn't shy when he met Aveline this time, but she was reluctant. He was a kid and she, a teenager. It was a communication barrier that would be harder to bridge than their separate languages, but Connor wanted to try.

"Aveline, do you know how to play chess?" Connor had asked her, and her eyes lit up with that familiar sparkle he had known all those years ago. She was eager to play, but after Connor beat her at the game twice, her expression deflated a bit.

"Are you cheating, Connor? I think you're cheating," Aveline pouted, whipping out her cell phone to Google the rules of chess, in case she missed something.

"I've been playing a lot with Grandma Tessa. She's really good at chess." Connor told her proudly, resetting the board.

"Let's switch chairs."

Connor laughed, but did as she asked anyway. Aveline still lost the match.

To make up for her impressive defeat, Connor gave her a belated birthday present - a silver necklace with a feather charm. They played together that summer until the start of the school year, when they were separated again.

A month after Aveline turned 19, her father died in a plane crash. Connor's family attended the funeral and the moment Aveline saw him, the young woman fell apart in the arms of her 14 year old childhood friend. Connor had grown taller, though he still hadn't reached her height. It was an unusual sight to see, and caused many murmurs in the crowd around them but Connor knew Aveline trusted him more than anyone else. He was still young, but comforting her was definitely something that he could do. It unnerved him to see her so broken apart, but it was to be expected. Her father had been her everything.

"Aveline, I'm so sorry," Connor had whispered to her, patting her back gently. She had sobbed and hiccuped and ruined his dress shirt, but he didn't care. He would be there for her no matter what.

At the reception, Aveline pulled Connor aside to talk in private. They stood in her large bedroom, though Connor's room at home was just as big.

"I'm sorry for... Back there." Aveline had said to him, with a heavy sigh. Connor definitely didn't want her to apologize. She had trusted him with her emotions, and he was happy for that.

"You don't have to say sorry. I wanted to help." Connor told her simply.

His response seemed to weigh on her even more. She sighed again and bit her lip, glancing from her hands to the floor and back at Connor, "It's just that-"

Connor waited for her to say more, but she didn't. Instead, Aveline shook her head, and forced a small smile on her face, "Merci beaucoup, Connor. For everything."

He didn't like the way she had thanked him though. Her voice held a finality to it. It almost sounded like… she was saying goodbye. But Connor didn't have time to think about it because in the next moment, Aveline embraced him, leaned down, and softly pressed her lips against his cheek.

It was Connor's first kiss from a girl that wasn't his mother.

He stood, completely shocked, his cheeks heating and his heart hammering in his chest. Aveline ruffled his hair then, and left the room, presumably to play the gracious hostess for the funeral reception. Connor remained standing in her room for at least ten minutes before he finally found the strength to move again.

By the time Connor came back downstairs, his grandmother and his parents were putting on their coats. With alarm, Connor asked for them to wait for him, and then ran off to find Aveline. He wanted her number, her email address, something, anything; this time, he was going to stay in contact with her, no matter what. He wouldn't leave her alone. He'd help her.

But no matter where he looked in the giant house, Aveline was nowhere to be found. Dejectedly, Connor climbed into the sleek black car with his parents and drove away. That was the last time Connor spoke to or saw Aveline de Grandprè.

Seven Years Later

Connor pushed his way through the large glass doors at the entrance of Mohawk Industries, the textile company his great, great grandmother had started with her own two hands. He was greeted by employees with every step he took, bypassing the security desk with a mere nod of his head.

He had his hair tied back today, much like his father's, which made his Kenway features stand out a bit more. His grandmother always fussed at him to cut his hair, but he had absolutely no intentions of doing it.

He glanced at his reflection in the mirrored elevator, pressing the button for his mother's floor. Connor wore a gray suit today, with perfectly polished shoes. No matter how often he wore them, he still hated suits. Connor vowed that when *he* became CEO, he would definitely change the dress code to business casual. His grandmother, however, was a stickler for a polished appearance and his mother couldn't be bothered to change it. She never was one to sweat the small details.

The elevator chimed as Connor reached the fourth floor. He made his way into the huge office, greeting the doe-eyed secretary as he walked by, his arms laden with bags. He smiled as his mother waved at him from the other side of the glass, a phone pressed to her ear. She beckoned her son forward, pointing at the coffee table and chairs that took up a corner of the room. The city skyline spread out like a photograph behind his mother as she chatted on the phone. Connor realized he would never tire of the view.

"Oh, my wonderful son! You must've heard my stomach growling from the front door!" Kaniehtí:io, or Ziio, as she was called by the general public, had barely aged. Though her hair was a bit more gray than when she first took over the company, she was still just as beautiful.

"Actually the interns on the sixth floor thought we were having another earthquake," Connor joked, opening up the bags. Soon, he was removing plastic containers and silverware from the paper bags, spreading them out on the table like a feast.

His mother slapped his shoulder playfully, plopping down in the nearest chair, "You silly boy. Does your father know you brought lunch?"

Connor paused in his movements, pursing his lips, "I forgot to tell him. Should we let him eat with us?" Connor teased, earning another playful laugh from his mother.

"I'll call him down." Ziio got out of her chair and headed back to the phone at her desk. She pressed the first number on the speed dial, putting her husband on speaker phone.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Haytham's warm, accented voice filled the room and Ziio found herself grinning impishly. Connor sighed out loud, hoping his parents didn't get all lovey-dovey on the phone again.

"Our wonderful son brought us lunch today! Come down and eat with your family," Ziio stated, winking at Connor from her desk. She watched as he opened up all the containers, delicious smells and steam filling the air.

Haytham sighed reluctantly, "I'm afraid I can't, dearest. I have a meeting in an hour that-"

"Haytham, you haven't eaten all day. You can spare a few minutes to eat with us."

"Raké:ni, I brought cookies." Connor said out loud, and both he and his mother chuckled as they heard shuffling sounds through the phone.

"I'll be down there soon!" Haytham replied, and then the call ended with a click.

"Your Father has the biggest sweet tooth I've ever seen." Ziio said, shaking her head with a giggle.

Connor handed her some plastic cutlery and a napkin, "Well, at least I know where I get it from."

"It's those darn Kenway genes. I never ate sweets like that."

"Ahh, my ears were burning on the elevator; I should have known you were defaming me in front of my only child." Haytham Kenway stepped into the room with a small smile in greeting to his wife and son.

He, too, had aged over the years, but Connor's father still held that English accent and countenance that set all the older women in the company aflutter. It didn't matter that his parents had been married Connor's entire life - they still had had to fire an employee or two for hounding after his father like dogs in heat.

"Son, you mentioned cookies?" Haytham asked, occupying the seat besides his wife. Ziio tsked and handed Haytham a plate with a salad and a delicious-looking croissant sandwich.

"You can have your cookies later. Eat first and THEN, dessert." Ziio huffed, biting into her own meal, "I swear I have two children."

Haytham whined, but proceeded to follow his wife's instructions, "But Connor said there were cookies!"

Connor laughed, and turned to his own food, thoroughly amused by his parents. He was always so thankful to have them both there with him. He couldn't imagine what his life would have been like without both his mother and father there.

He felt a pang in his heart as he thought of another person who no longer had her father around.

Aveline...

Every day, for the last seven years, he had missed her. He had always wanted to reach out to her, to see if she was okay, but for a while, he wasn't old enough to do what he wanted. At 14, Connor knew there was not much he could do to help her. He wanted to grow up, quickly, so that he could be there for her when she needed him. On his 18th birthday, he had planned to reach out to her. He had saved all the articles he found online about her, looked at all her pictures, and read all of her business interviews.

But on his 18th birthday, the headlines heralded the blossoming romance between Aveline de Grandprè and the genius business manager that had worked his way up in the ranks of Aveline's company.

Connor lost all courage to contact her then. He couldn't reach out to Aveline, even to try and be her friend, because he didn't want just her friendship. He wanted so much more than that and he couldn't have that if she was with someone else.

That day, Connor came to terms with his feelings. He was in love with Aveline de Grandprè.

He had been for a while.

The fact that she was in a relationship with another man made his realization that much more painful. So, Connor focused on school instead. He graduated with a business degree from one of the top colleges in the nation to further prepare himself as the future CEO of Mohawk Industries.

He poured himself in his work and did his best to stop searching for her face on TV, in crowds or airports. He stopped reading articles about her or her company. Connor specifically made it his goal to avoid any and all business dealings with de Grandprè Imports, though his parents still found time to speak to Aveline's stepmother.

No one really knew about Connor's one-sided love except his cousin, Kanen'tó:kon, but even his knowledge on the subject was limited. Connor locked away his feelings and memories towards Aveline and cast them as far away from his mind as possible. He had to, because he couldn't continue to live his life around a person that hadn't bothered to reach him in years.

"Connor, did you hear me?"

Ziio's voice startled Connor from his painful thoughts, waking him up from the trance he was in.

Connor gave her an apologetic smile, his amber eyes turning to his mother's face, "I'm sorry, Ista, I didn't. What did you say?"

"I said, your grandmother wants to come have dinner with us tonight. When will you be home?"

Connor bit into his sub thoughtfully, watching his father grab another cookie before he answered, "I promised Kanen'tó:kon I would go out with him tonight. He's going on a date with a woman he met online."

"Another one? Why doesn't he just ask a girl out like a normal man?"

Haytham laughed, polishing off his second cookie, "Have you seen him talk to women in person? He's worse than Connor was when he asked Elisa to the Spring Formal in the 7th grade."

Both Connor and Ziio glared at Haytham, who shrugged and took a sip from his bottled water.

"Well Grandmother still be here tomorrow? Maybe I can take her to lunch to make up for it." Connor suggested, finishing his sandwich and grabbing the plastic container of chicken soup.

"She'll be here for the board meeting, so perhaps you can take her after. We'll see." Just as Ziio reached for her own chocolate chip cookie, the phone at her desk began to ring. "I guess that means lunch time is over. See you both at home. And don't eat all the cookies!"

Both Haytham and Connor tried not to laugh too loudly.

Aveline moved her head to the beat of the bass that boomed from the huge speakers on the dance floor. She moved her hips a little, letting the music move her. She'd been to this club before, but it'd been a while. Apparently, they were back to hiring good DJs.

26 year old Aveline de Grandprè stood in the sectioned off VIP area with her best friend, Patience Gibbs. The two women had been getting more than enough attention as they walked through the club, parting the sea of bodies as if they had magic powers. Though most of the patrons of the club were famous, or well-to-do socialites, they still attracted the attention of both hungry men and jealous women.

Aveline was wearing her favorite emerald green cutout dress. It molded to her form like a second skin and the matching pumps made her appear a few inches taller than she actually was. With her hair unbound in meticulous spiral curls that reached the middle of her back and flawless make-up, she looked like the heiress that she was.

Patience, however, was not to be outdone. In a little black dress that showed off her hourglass frame and ample cleavage, she presented the perfect balance of naughty and nice.

Both women were enjoying themselves and dancing in their private booth, waiting for the rest of their party to arrive. Aveline leaned into Patience, attempting not to holler in her friend's ear over the loud music, "Is your guy here yet?"

"I don't think so! He said he was running behind; something about waiting for his cousin to get out of a meeting!" Patience yelled back, moving to the beat but still chatting.

"Ah~! He's in business then?"

"Yep! I can't remember what company it was though!"

Nodding, Aveline moved away from Patience to pour herself another drink. She was happy that Patience had asked her to come out tonight. She had a stack of paperwork sitting on her desk at both home and work - she would fully take this opportunity to unwind.

"Ah, there he is!" Patience called over her shoulder excitedly. She waved enthusiastically as three huge men appeared from the entrance. The guy in the front smiled and waved back at Patience when he caught sight of her. Aveline stood up from the couch to catch a glimpse of the group and almost choked on her drink. Standing behind Patience's date was the one person she never expect to see again…

Connor Kenway.

There was no mistaking him. Aveline knew those gorgeous amber eyes as much as she knew her own. He was taller now, much taller, but Aveline knew that too. She had seen the pictures in the papers. She had read his articles. She found her eyes drifting over him as she noticed his hair. Aveline had always loved Connor's hair, because it suited him so well. The beads that he wove through the braid that rested softly against his jaw had always fascinated her.

Aveline's eyes widened to the size of saucers and she stumbled back, sinking into the couch just as her legs gave out from under her. Her hands immediately grasped the necklace around her neck, the necklace he gave her, and Aveline realized with a start that her hands were actually trembling.

"Aveline?" Patience turned around to glance at her friend worriedly, but Aveline wasn't even looking at her. She was staring down into her drink with a million questions in her mind.

What was he doing there? Did he remember her? What would he say when he saw her?

Aveline's viridian eyes darted left and right, and she tried to stand up. Perhaps, if he hadn't seen her yet, she could escape. If he didn't see her, she could get away and then-

"Patience, you look amazing!"

Aveline blanched when she realized that there would be no escape. It was too late. The three men had already reached the VIP booth. She couldn't get away.

Connor knew something would be different the moment he stepped foot into the club with his cousin, Kanen'tó:kon and their friend from work, Eseosa*. It was as if the air inside of the building was charged with electricity, lighting his senses on fire and sending his entire being into high alert.

He peered throughout the club, noticing how upscale the place. He noticed the familiar faces of celebrities and other trust fund kids, all partying hard without a care in the world. Connor didn't actually like clubs, but his cousin had begged him to come. He knew his cousin needed the support so he had asked Eseosa to come too. Hopefully, between the two of them, they could ensure that Kanen'tó:kon's meet-up went smoothly.

As the reached the VIP area, Connor noticed a pretty dark skinned girl in a beautiful black dress. She greeted them in excitement, barely letting Kanen'tó:kon make it to the booth before she was hugging him. His cousin blushed profusely and Connor almost felt bad for his cousin.

As Connor reached the landing, he didn't realize there was another person sitting on the plush couch, hidden from view behind Patience. She stood when the three of them started talking to Patience and the moment he saw her, he saw nothing else.

Her adorable little toes were painted red, and she wore a pair of pumps that accented her beautiful dress, in the perfect shade to match her beautiful eyes. Her smooth skin practically beckoned to him as Connor slowly swept his gaze over her form, inch by inch, drinking her in. He didn't need to see the necklace to know who she was. The moment he saw her, he knew right away. When their eyes finally met, Connor's heart was pounding in his ears. He fought the urge to grab at his chest, because suddenly the room was entirely too hot and he felt like he could hardly breathe.

Those warm green orbs from his childhood were looking at him skittishly. Her expression reminded him of a deer caught in headlights. She positively looked like she would run away from him if he took a step closer to her.

He looked away from her to give them both a moment's reprieve. Patience was in the process of shaking Eseosa's hand and had reached out to shake his, "I'm Patience," she said, and then turning slightly she indicated her friend with her thumb, "And this is-"

Before Patience could say anything else, Aveline moved closer to the group, holding her hand out as well. Connor moved so quickly that he could scarcely believe himself; he want to touch her that much.

"Aveline…" Her name slipped from his lips almost reverently and the sound of his low voice made her breathless. He grasped her hand firmly in his, shaking her hand for longer than was necessary.

Aveline was stuck between wanting to pull her hand away and never wanting to let go. Connor continued to devour her with his gaze; not once looking away from her. Finally, she let go and moved on to greet the other two men that came with him.

Connor released a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

Patience regarded him oddly, "You two know each other?"

Though Aveline had her back to him now, he could see her visibly freeze up. Connor watched her, not sure if he liked that reaction.

"Yes," he stated simply, and left it at that.

Kanen'tó:kon wasn't sure if he favored the weird mood that was settling between his cousin and this new woman, Aveline. He stepped towards the bottles of alcohol chilling on ice at the table, "So, who wants a drink?"

"Definitely me," Aveline murmured, heading back to the spot she had occupied at the end of the couch. Connor wanted to follow her and sit next to her, but then he wouldn't be able to look at her without everyone knowing. Instead, he sat between Eseosa and his cousin, allowing the two women to sit next to one another with his cousin and Patience serving as a barrier between himself and Aveline.

Once the drinks were all poured, everyone took a shot and began chatting. Patience leaned around Kanen'tó:kon, attempting to get Connor's attention. He was alternating between staring at Aveline and sipping his drink.

She was so beautiful. She had always been pretty as a child, even with her braces, but now she was absolutely breathtaking. With every breath she took, he could see the necklace he gave her, glinting under the strobe lights.

"Hey Connor!" Patience finally called, and finally, he looked away from Aveline. Curiously, the girl looked between her best friend and the Native American man, "So how do you two know each other?"

Aveline leaned forward, reaching for the chilled vodka to pour herself another drink.

"Oh, we were childhood fri-" Aveline began, but Connor's loud voice cut her off.

"She was my first love."

The words echoed in Aveline's ears on repeat. She gasped, staring at Connor wide eyed and open mouth as he tipped back the rest of his drink and set his glass on the table. His amber eyes burned fiercely as he waited for her response. Kanen'tó:kon looked at his cousin in awe and Eseosa made a mental note to clap Connor on the back for having the balls to say what he just did, in a voice clear enough for everyone around them to hear.

"Ah! Aveline, your drink, it's-!" Patience cried, snapping out of her shock. All eyes swung to Aveline who had filled her glass to overflowing. The vodka was now spilling over the edge and creating a puddle on the table.

"Merde!" She cried, sitting the bottle down and grabbing a bunch of those tiny drink napkins that weren't good for anything.

Patience took pity on her friend and tried to help her out. She could tell immediately that Aveline was extremely flustered, "Ava, can you go flag down a waitress? I can clean this up, I just want to make sure the table doesn't get sticky."

Nodding wordlessly, Aveline grabbed her clutch bag and practically ran away from their booth.

Connor watched her head towards the bar before he got up to follow her. He didn't even bother giving the others an excuse because he had none to give. He followed behind her with a purpose.

Aveline was here. She was right in front of him and no matter what, he wasn't going to let her get away again. Not this time.

End Chapter 1

A/N: So what'd you think? Leave a review and let me know!

Ista - Mother

Raké:ni - Father

"Merde!" - "Shit!"

*Eseosa - A Haitian Assassin that Connor trained, from Assassin's Creed Initiates. He's also Adéwalé's grandson.