Desmond looked down at the small boy cuddled next to him on the bed and sighed deeply. They were coming, he needed to move. Normally Desmond would not wait to leave the area after spending a month there, but after finding Ree, he could not bring himself to leave the room.
He'd found Harry again, or Ree as Desmond called him, a few weeks ago. He had been driving through the area and had almost run over the boy. His uncle had thrown him, unconscious into the road after beating him almost to death.
Desmond had told the man that he would take the seven year old, if the man just handed him over. Ree's Aunt had signed over custody and Ree had been with Desmond ever since. From what Desmond knew, Ree's family was telling anyone who asked that the boy had run away while they were on vacation in Italy. After everything, Desmond was happy with this, considering that usually omegas weren't allowed to take care of kids on their own. Any government system would have found him unfit as a guardian and taken Ree from him.
It had taken over a week for the boy to open up and share his name, let alone let Desmond touch him. Once the boy had first spoken to him, he had barely left the older man's side. At first Desmond found it slightly annoying, not being used to adjusting to someone so close all the time; now, he could not think of how it would be if Ree was taken from him. His omega instincts purred with content when he felt Ree cling to him and couldn't help but feel happy about it. He had long figure out that the boy was the same one he used to take care of when he first ran away, back when he had found James Potter. The man had been looking for a young omega to look after his omega son. It wasn't until later that James had told him that he was an Assassin and started training Desmond.
Desmond walked the length of the room quickly, unwilling to leave the area and unable to sit still. He needed to leave, but he couldn't disappear with Ree as easily as he could by himself. He couldn't leave the boy, and he couldn't just leave, something had to be done before he was attacked and Ree got hurt.
He sighed again and looked down at the bed. Ree's crazy midnight stained hair was thrown everywhere across the pillow as the boy tossed slightly in his sleep. A whimper left his lips as he slept on and Desmond quickly shushed him, calming the boy. Running his fingers lovingly through the seven year olds hair brought a pleasant smile to his lips. He couldn't leave Ree, not now. With a sigh, he picked up his phone and dialed a number he had memorized as a child no older than Ree. He needed help and there was only one thing that could help him.
-This is a Line Break-
Desmond didn't open the door at the first knock. He cuddled Ree to him as he waited for the door to fly off its hinges and men to swarm in. The little boy had woken up a few minutes before and wasn't quite sure what was happening.
Desmond had told him everything. About the Assassins and Templars. How Desmond had run away from that life at 16 and was content to live on the run for a few years. Content at least, until Ree's father had been looking for a person to take care of Ree and Desmond had appeared. When he had found out that Desmond was an Assassin, he had talked to him. The stories that had been shared had shocked Desmond's eyes open and from then on he had training with James everyday and protected those he could from the shadows. When James had died, Ree had been sent to his mother's family and Desmond had to leave. No one would give an unmated omega a child.
When he had found Ree again, he was ready to give up. He was losing faith and wanted to settle down. Now he had someone to protect, he had reason, without Ree, he had no meaning.
Ree had listened to the tale and then said in a small voice that the Potters were the head of the English branch of the Brotherhood. He'd found his mother's journals in the attic of his aunt's house and decoded them.
Desmond was shocked at first. He didn't want Ree to be put in danger. The he shook his head. Protecting Ree was not the same as smothering him. He could teach Ree how to defend himself and those around him, just as James had for him, what he did with that knowledge was not Desmond's decision.
Now he sat on the bed, holding Ree, wanting his last moments with the boy to be a fond memory that he could use as a happy place.
The knock on the door came again, more insistant this time and Desmond rose to answer the door. He shot Ree a stern look to stay back and looked out the peephole to see someone he never thought he'd see again.
Hastily, he opened the door and punched the man in the face.
-This is a Line Break-
To say Shaun Hastings had expected Desmond Miles to be able to punch hard enough for it to bruise almost instantly was a complete and utter lie. The Desmond he'd met years ago, when the boy had been 18 or 19 and struggling to get a job to survive on his own, was not someone who could punch anyone. Even other omegas in the order could hit harder than Desmond and that was saying something. His Beta instincts were definitely not happy that Desmond now had a strong left hook. This Desmond was obviously not happy with who was at his door.
"What are you doing here you English Bastard!?" Desmond shot at him, pulling him into the small apartment. Shaun could barely make out a small but clean kitchen and living room before he was shoved onto a couch and glared at.
"You called…." Desmond cut Shaun off mid sentence.
"I called the brotherhood, yes. I did not call you."
Desmond's unease and disbelief was clear as he paced in front of Shaun. The red haired beta shook his head.
"You called for an extraction. I came to do the extraction. Who needs to be taken to safety and why?" Desmond turned to answer when a shout from the hall had his head whipping around. Cursing, he pulled Shaun to his feet and into an even smaller bedroom.
A small boy blinked up at Shaun from the bed and made the older Brit stare.
"Take him and get out of here." Desmond turned to the other man. "I knew they were coming, but I couldn't just disappear with Ree like that. I needed some help but it's come too late. Protect him Shaun or it'll be your head."
Desmond turned from the other Assassin to the boy looking up at him shocked.
"I'll be back, Ree, I promise." The boy did not look convinced. "Have I ever broken a promise to you?" when the boy shook his head Desmond continued, "nor will I ever. This is Shaun and he's a friend of mine. Those guys that are after me are almost here and I need you to be safe. Shaun is going to make sure you are safe."
He pulled the boy in for one last hug before pushing the pair toward the window.
"I love you, Ree. Don't forget that." With those words said, Desmond turned to face the enemies swarming his location.
