Hello,

This ones quite emotional :') Thank you to all the lovely reviews, made me very happy - so I quickly uploaded another chapter! ^^

Disclaimer - Everyone, except my OC (and any other OC's later on), belong to Ubisoft, images used in the cover image as well, I just edited them and added stuff.

Chapter IV in which Carmina discovers the feelings of a man who always watched her from afar.

Hope you enjoy this one :3

- AssassinSuzy

'Yet when I turn around, and look at the course I've run... there's not a man or woman that I love left standing beside me.'

IV – Time to Leave

It rained again that evening, and the morning after, until the weather finally cleared up. The sun still hid behind the clouds, its rays never once meeting the stone alleyways of Havana.

"I'm off to meet the others," Rogers announced, his steps heavy as he descended the stairs. Mina stood on top of them, watching him leave, the pain from the previous day never leaving her, every time she thought of it she desired only to cry. She was sent away that evening, alone in her room, like always. She even considered writing a letter to Julien, but knew it wouldn't be the right thing to do. Not in such a situation. She waved to Rogers who stopped abruptly at the bottom of the never-ending staircase.

"You may go shopping or whatever you women do these days while I'm gone," he added and stepped forwards, approaching the door. Something tugged at his heart, he wanted to turn and say 'be careful' or 'I will be back soon', but dismissed it, instead leaving her there, alone again. He even shut the door too heavily, by mistake, which probably made him seem angrier than he was. She stared at the empty space that he left, and never felt as lonely as she did at that moment. She slowly made her way down the stairs, tracing his movements, and knew there was no point waiting, she could only follow after him.

Havana was always crowded, it seemed difficult getting past all the passer-by's which flooded the streets, but Mina could see Rogers in the distance, accompanied by his Templar friends. They were nearing the docks, probably planning on meeting the Sage who they captured beforehand. Mina followed on close behind, pushing through the crowds, trying not to look suspicious. The stone houses, decorated with various shrubs and greenery, stood still, surrounding every street and path. Spanish guards also trotted around proudly, pushing anyone who was in their way, rather arrogantly.

They reached the docks, stepping into a small wooden construction, disappearing from Mina's sight. She couldn't risk stepping any closer though, she leaned against a stone fence, which spread around the docks. This gave her a clear view, however she cold hear little of what was going on. Unexpectedly, the men swiftly exited, a few guards by their side and a new addition to their group. A bearded man, with long black hair and a bandanna around his head. He was dressed in rags and had his wrists tied together.

She gasped as they stepped out and looked around, fear gripping her as she saw no place that could let her hide. She walked away quickly, trying to blend in with the crowds as the men were getting closer. She saw a small stall with fruits and vegetables, and hastily turned around, pretending to inspect the produce, hiding in the shadows. They passed by her blindly, not even noticing an out of the ordinary figure lurking in the darkness. She turned to watch them leave, knowing it would be dangerous to attempt to follow them. She battled with herself, considering different possibilities, but in the end deciding that she had nothing left than discovering what Rogers was really up to, he couldn't hate her more than he already did. There was nothing left to lose.

The men roamed the streets, their destination unknown to Mina, who slowly walked behind them, until they abruptly stopped in their tracks. She felt a shiver of fear as she predicted the worse, noticing a hooded figure on top of the rooftops, aiming some sort of blowpipe at the guards.

"Watch out!" She shouted, all the men suddenly turning and noticing the onslaught of who seemed to be Assassins. The buildings enclosed them and people began to scream as shots were fired, cracking through the once peaceful air. She ran up to the Templar's, their shocking gazes following her actions. She immediately took a pistol from one of the guards who rested on the stone pavement, dead. Her hands fiddled with the bullets, reloading as quickly as her small fingers allowed her to, and pulling the trigger at one of the Assassins, then at another.

"Mina, get away from here now!" Rogers shouted as he shot his own pistols. Torres was long gone, with Walpole following close behind. Julien picked up a sword and began slicing one of his victims, swiftly piercing the stomach of another one as blood gushed out onto the stones below their feet, their bodies falling to their ground, horrifying expressions imprinted in the woman's memory. "Do you not hear me? Go, now!"

"I'm not leaving, you need help!" She cried but he pushed her as one of the Assassin's ran straight at them with a slim and sharp dagger. Rogers clashed his sword with the dagger, and she quickly reloaded her pistol, while Rogers struggled, for the first time, afraid for his own life.

A loud shot resounded through the air, passing straight through the Assassin's skull, his lifeless vessel heavily dropping to the ground. Red seeped through his skin, its thick droplets falling off and bouncing against the hard stone. The onslaught continued elsewhere as screams were heard from afar, the wave of Assassin's left to pursue Torres and Walpole. Julien ran after them, but Rogers stood there, somehow admiring Mina's courage. He stared at the bodies, realising she saved his life. The sudden thought hitting him like a ton of stones, his head felt heavy and he still could not believe, she had to be the one to save him. She of all people.

"Mina-"

"I- I told you- you needed help," she whimpered and dropped the pistol to the ground, a piercing clash of breaking wood against the pavement. His eyes took in the sight of her, blood seeping through her lace dress, her hair messy and her eyes wet with tears. He took a step towards her but she took a step back cautiously, afraid, afraid of death. Her hands shook in horror and she reached out to grasp at something which wasn't there. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to help," she cried. He ran up to her though and grabbed her, pressing her meek form to himself, kissing her forehead comfortingly, never knowing he was capable of such actions. Was that what it was like to care for someone, to never want them to get hurt, to see death in the way she did?

She pushed him away though, this time with more strength and force. "Please don't, I might make you desire me again," she spat out in disgust. He was taken aback and at that moment realized what he lost. He finally began to regret his actions, the consequences evident.

"No Mina, I didn't mean it in that way-"

"Of course you didn't, you just wanted to use me, and I know that. Please stop fooling yourself."

"I want to take care of you Mina, I want you to be with me."

"That isn't what you said last night when I was so close to giving myself to you."

"I know," he sighed, "I realized it when it was too late."

"I don't know who you are any more, are you the man I fell in love with or a Templar with no consideration for his own feelings?" Her once sweet voice was layered with fear and aggression, but she continued through heavy breaths, "let alone the feelings of the woman who was by your side this whole time?"

"Do not bring the Templar's into this Mina, the Templar's didn't change me."

"No, you're right," she scoffed, "it was power that changed you. Or rather the excess of it."

The afternoon was colder, darker. A storm was coming, the people of Havana hid inside their homes, or searched for shelter among the taverns and sheds spread around the small town. The guards closed themselves off in the fort, and the few that were left shared in their misery and complained, hiding under anything that would save them from the oncoming rain. Mina walked around the streets pointlessly though, refusing to go home. Rogers may have offered to take her to the safety and warmth of their house, but she left him and decided to venture out into the unknown, her past leading her and being her shadow as she remembered every corner, every turn and every pavement.

"Carmina?" A nostalgic voice broke her trial of thoughts, her lips letting out a sigh as Julien approached her eagerly, surprisingly, Walpole stood behind him, waving towards Mina and giving her a soft smile.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked and grasped her arm, leading her under some shelter as the first droplets of rain began falling from the graying sky.

"I should be asking you the same thing," she smiled briefly before turning her gaze to Walpole, his eyes never leaving her as he stepped under the roof, standing close to her, so close she almost felt the heat radiating off him.

"We're patrolling for any more Assassins"

"And were you successful in your endeavors?"

"They're all gone, disappeared entirely. So no, we did not have such luck."

"Shame," she sighed again and then looked up into his eyes, he leaned in as if on cue and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, closing his eyes peacefully, desiring to be close to her again. "Julien, he hates me," she suddenly whimpered.

"Who?"

"Rogers hates me, I tried to love him, but all he ever wanted was my body, I don't know what to do Julien-," she began to cry softly, the rain suddenly pouring down, bouncing off the roof and already forming small puddles in the crevices of the stones which formed the path nearby.

"Mina," he hushed her and took hold of her body, embracing her as she cried. Walpole's expression changed, he felt compassion, but didn't know how to react. He wanted to help her somehow, but knew not to involve himself, not when his identity was at stake. He had other things to worry about, even if the sight of a crying woman did indeed affect him, more deeply than he wanted to. "He doesn't hate you, that bastard just doesn't know anything about caring for another person, he was always like that."

"Do you care for me?" She whispered, he slowly took a step forward, pressing her against the cold wall, her body leaning into his, not wanting to let his warmth leave her.

"Yes I do," he whispered softly as a reply, his palm pressed against her waist. Walpole began to feel slightly awkward, as if he was an uninvited guest, disturbing them in their reconciliation.

"I'll leave you two," he smirked under his breath and was already gone, the pair not even noticing his sudden departure.

"Stay with me tonight," Julien said, his voice layered with so many different meanings of those few caring words. "Rogers separated us, but it doesn't have to stay that way."

"Julien, I feel wrong, I feel like I'm just being played by everyone-"

"I'm different Mina, believe me, I only want the best for you." He leaned in even closer until she felt his breath against her lips, her small hands latched onto the fabric of his white shirt. All the while the rain poured down, their shelter saving them from it, however the bitter wind still hit them with its stinging coldness. She didn't feel it though, as Julien's fiery form sheltered her, warming her body up while being cold himself. His small sacrifice melting her heart for a moment.

"Please stay with me, I missed you this whole time," he whispered and nuzzled his lips in her neck, inhaling her peachy aroma, mixed with the familiar scent of her skin. "I missed your touch, I missed your body, I missed your voice-."

"Julien," she sighed softly as her lips reached out to kiss his, enclosing around them, his lips turning into a smile as he kissed her back. His arms tied around her, lifting her up onto her tiptoes as he deepened the embrace, enfolding her in his warmth and affection.

"Come with me Mina," he whispered as he broke the kiss. She stared into his eyes, confused and craving nothing more than the kindness he provided her with. "Please."

She nodded, feeling him take hold of her hand, planning to make a run for it, in the rain.

If only such moments lasted forever.

What will happen next? :O

Thank you so much for reading, if you liked this chapter/story please leave a Review/Fave/Follow, I will be very thankful. =^^=

Till next time!