Why Do I Love You?
(This is my AU on what could have happened had Desmond been unable to kill Lucy in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.)
Desmond solved the puzzle and a platform was being formed right in front of him and his team. Not really his team. More like his friends, Shaun, Rebecca and especially Lucy. They had found the Apple of Eden that was left there by Desmond's ancestor, Ezio Auditore. They walked up the platform towards the Apple.
"So where are the temples?" Shaun asked.
"Do you want me to ask it?" Desmond asked.
"Or think it or something." Lucy replied.
As they walked closer to the Apple, it began to glow and strange symbols and glyphs appeared out of it.
"Are you sure you asked it the right thing?" Lucy asked.
"I know this. I know that symbol. That's a Phrygian Cap. It stands for freedom….and that, that's a Masonic eye. Now those two only come together in one place…" While Shaun was explaining to Rebecca and Lucy what the symbols meant, Desmond reached for the Apple and held it in his hands. As soon as he picked it up, time itself stopped. Everyone else was frozen in time.
"What's happening? I can't move." Desmond said.
"Your DNA communes with the Apple. You have activated it." Replied Juno.
"Let me go!"
"On the 72nd day before the moment of awakening. You, birthed from our loins and the loins of our enemies. The end and the beginning, who we abhor and honor. The final journey commences. There is one who would accompany you through the gate. She lies no within our sight. The cross darkens the horizon."
Desmond felt his arms move but not under his control. He saw his hidden blade be unsheathed. He was then forced to turn around.
"What are you doing?!"
"The path must be opened. You cannot escape your part in this. The scales shall be balanced."
Desmond started to walk towards Lucy.
"Stop! Please!"
"You know very little. We must guide you."
Desmond fought with everything he had. He had a feeling what it was that Juno wanted him to do. He would never be able to forgive himself if he hurt Lucy.
"Cease your struggle!"
Desmond's left arm was raised. He was going to kill Lucy and there was nothing he could do to save her.
"No!"
Desmond was angry that he had been under someone else's control rather than his own and that he was going to kill someone that he had grown to care very deeply about. Maybe even love. Before he could kill her, another being like Juno appeared. Minerva. Desmond remembered her from the vision he saw when Ezio was in Rome to assassinate Rodrigo Borgia. She managed to free Desmond from Juno's control. But before he was completely free, he was given a vision from the Apple. He saw Lucy with Dr. Vidic. They were in another room but were in the same building he was in when he was captured by the Templars.
"Lucy, this is where your background comes into play. If our experiments with Desmond in the Animus aren't going well, you will remove him from Abstergo. Take him somewhere he will feel comfortable divulging his secrets. Your Assassins should do the trick. Since Desmond will be reading our emails, we will ensure that secret communications between you and the Assassins go through unimpeded. Once you are in imbedded, I will come by to pick up the Animus tapes. Make sure you look very upset. You need to be convincing. Desmond will lead you to the Apple and then you bring it right to us. We're counting on you Lucy. You have served the Templar Order well, and we never forget loyalty. Oh yes. Once inside their hideout, perhaps you might ask why they left you alone for so many years."
Desmond was shocked at what he saw. He felt as if his whole world had been turned upside down. Lucy Stillman, his teacher, guide, friend and someone he had learned to love, was a spy for the Templars. Now he was wishing that he hadn't been freed from Juno's control. The vision started to fade away and Desmond was starting regain control of his senses. He was kneeling on the floor and Lucy was kneeling right next to him. Desmond looked at his surroundings and saw that he and Lucy were alone in the Temple.
"Desmond? Are you okay?" Lucy asked.
"Where are Shaun and Rebecca?"
"They're outside of the Colosseum trying to get contact with our other teams. Letting them know that we have the Apple."
"Tell me Lucy…Do you know what a Siren is?"
"Of course I do."
"Good. Then would you mind explaining to me what a Siren does exactly?"
"May I ask why you want to know?"
"I'm just curious. When I held the Apple I kept hearing the word "Siren".
"Oh. In that case, a Siren is a creature that looks like a very beautiful women who would lure unwary sailors to their doom. They sang songs which made men fall in love with them and they jump out of their ships to be with them and they ended up drowning."
"Sort of like how you are doing the same thing to me?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Don't…lie….to me. Not again. I want the truth from you for once!"
"What are you talking about?"
"How stupid do you think I am?! I know all about you and the Templars!"
"Desmond! I'm an Assassin! If I was a Templar, would I have killed all of those guards who attacked us at our last base?"
"Not unless it was staged!"
"I don't know what's gotten into you but I think it has something to do with the Apple."
"You know something? You're right. It is. It showed me the truth! The fact that the whole escape from Abstergo was staged! That once we got our hands on the Apple you lead us right back to Templars!"
Lucy looked like she was going to cry.
"Oh spare the tears! It won't help you!"
He lunged for her and tackled her to ground. As she struggled to get him off he used his hidden blade and held it against her throat. While he was holding her still, Desmond heard footsteps coming down. He saw his father with Shaun and Rebecca.
"What are you doing son!? Have you lost your mind?!"
William was about ready grab his son when Desmond shouted: Don't you dare! Or I'll slit her throat! And I really don't want to! Although it is very tempting right now!"
"What's this all about?!"
"This woman is a liar! A wolf in sheep's clothing!"
"What?!"
"The Apple showed me the truth, Lucy has been working with the Templars for years. The whole escape from Abstergo was a ruse. The whole thing was a set up so that we could find the Piece of Eden and then she would have lured us to our doom. Just like a Siren."
"Is he telling the truth Lucy?"
Lucy looked into Desmond's eyes and saw them full of anger and sorrow. She hoped that it was the latter he was more of than the former. She did care about him. He deserved the truth.
"I am."
Silence filled the room. Nobody knew what to say.
"What do you want me to do with her Dad?"
"Tie her up and put her in the back of the van. Search her pockets for anything that could lead us to the Templars. Cell phone, emails, I don't care. They mustn't know that we know of Lucy's allegiance. As long as they think we are unware of this fact, we are off the radar. At least for now."
"You got it Dad."
Desmond lifted her up and had the hidden blade close to her throat while they started to walk. Shaun gave Desmond rope so that he could tie her up. He grabbed her cell phone from her back pocket and tied her up. Rebecca looked at Lucy in disgust. She was appalled knowing that her friend was a traitor. Desmond took her into the back of the van while William took the Piece of Eden. Shaun took the driver's seat and Rebecca called shotgun.
"They must be taking this harder than I thought. They knew her a lot longer than I did. I'm starting to wish I had killed her instead. Dammit Lucy, why do I love you?" Desmond thought to himself.
"We're to, Will?" Shaun asked.
"I know another spot that I've only shared with a few people. Here's the address." Will handed him a slip of paper.
"And make sure you destroy that after you're done. We can't leave any tracks."
Shaun started the van and they were on their way. Desmond was in the back of the van with Lucy and his father. He didn't want to look at her. He was afraid that if he did, he'd want to let her go. Or kill her.
"Dad? Do you think you can go and leave us? I'm sure Shaun and Rebecca need someone one to talk to."
"Are you sure, son?"
He nodded.
"All right. Just let me know when you've had enough."
"Thanks Dad."
Desmond gave his dad Lucy's cell phone. Even though she was tied up he didn't trust himself with her stuff. As long as Will had her cell phone, there was no way she could contact any Templars for help. Will entered through another door which led to the front of the van, leaving Desmond and Lucy alone.
"Desmond?"
"Don't. Don't say another word."
"Please there's something you need to know."
"How can I believe anything you have to say? You have been deceiving me ever since I was in Abstergo!"
"I know. But…"
"But what?! I thought you cared about me! About us!"
"I do!"
"Oh is that right?! Then what's this message I found on your phone?! "I can't handle another 16"?! Is that all I was to you?! A tool that once I fulfilled my purpose I would be cast aside?! Tell me something, once you handed us over to the Templars would you have let them kill us?!"
"NO! Least of all you!"
Desmond fell silent. He wanted to believe her words so badly.
"No. You can't fool me. Not again."
"You want to know the truth about something Desmond?"
"That would be a first."
"I'll admit. The whole escape from Abstergo was staged. But there were things that I said were true."
"Like what?"
"I do care about you Desmond. Very deeply. The fights that Warren and I had were real. I fought with him because I was scared that you were going to suffer the same way Subject 16 was. I still so bad about his death."
"Because you did nothing to help him escape or because you feel responsible for his death?"
"That's not fair."
"Oh you got that right."
"I know all about why you left the Assassins. But are you fully aware of what the Tempalrs are capable of? Or what they have done to innocent people in order to achieve their goals? Are you aware that they have murdered children?"
"What?"
"Oh. So you don't know. This is an interesting story. It happened during the early parts of the Great Purge. A team of Templars infiltrated an Assassin camp. Among the casualties were a group of children. None of which have never killed anyone a day in their life. They were all around eight or nine years old."
"You're lying."
"I swear it's the truth. Before I left the Assassins, my dad showed us a video from a surveillance video from that camp. He showed it to me and everyone so it would show us that the Tempalrs may speak of peace, but they'll achieve their goals in any way possible. Even if it means that innocent people will be die. And that they won't show mercy to anyone who doesn't share their vision."
Lucy could barely believe what she was hearing. After everything Warren had told her of helping people, to know that the Templars were willing to hurt innocent people. She was shocked. She looked at Desmond. She saw that he was very serious.
"Desmond? I just want you to know that I do care about you. I just hope that you still care about me."
Desmond looked at her. He saw that she was very sad. And that she was shocked at hearing this revelation.
"Look once we get to wherever it is we're going, we'll talk more. But I think we've talked long enough for now. I just want to be left alone."
He was about ready to fall asleep when he heard Lucy calling him.
"Desmond? Can I sit next to you?"
Desmond sighed and walked towards her. He sat next to her. She laid her head on his shoulder. He wanted to get away from her but he also missed her touch. He closed his eyes and slept.