Replaced...By A Cat!

So here it is finally! For those of you who just wished to see blood spilt in this chapter my apologies, it will be in the next do not worry :D

"Don't you think we should just kill them Altair?" Ezio asked nervously backing up against a wall as the Devil himself turned to look at him pausing from advancing on the captain.

The younger assassin gulped nervously, the Arab before him had a reputation, he was the best torturer in all of the Middle East. The best. Personally, he didn't want to hear the screams from his victims if all of the stories he had heard were true, Altair could be an animal when he wanted to, though it rarely took over him like it was doing so now.

"I uh…I mean, we could just uh…" the Italian stuttered trying to come up with a good excuse for interrupting the older assassin as a thought ran through his mind and escaped his mouth before he could think it through.

"What would she think of you if she saw you like this?" he blurted out backing up against the wall as Altair's shoulders fell instantly and his head snapped to look at Ezio in a dangerous manner.

The Italian struck a personal chord with the master assassin, and he knew it. Altair on the other hand had gotten a reality check as he glanced down at the hand that held the dagger as he glanced back up at the horrified face Ezio was hiding underneath his hood. He then turned to look at the captain who by this time was completely breaking down and sobbing as his other guard tried to comfort him watching helplessly beside him.

He knew it was wrong, he didn't even want to think of the girl back at the bureau, Ezio was right…what would she think of him if she saw what he was doing right now? But hell…he wanted revenge.

"Damn it Ezio," he growled underneath his breath as he turned suddenly and imbedded the dagger deep in the captains throat as he pushed it in even further blood spraying out and staining his white robes as he growled and twisted it while opening the captains throat even more.

The captain's horrified green eyes locking with his golden ones full of rage, they broke eye contact when the man beneath the assassin passed on to the other life, his body going limp as his eyelids closed shut.

Ezio choking slightly and looking down, he felt sorry for the man but at least he had died quickly, he couldn't quite say painlessly but at least he hadn't suffered for long.

His gaze returning to his partner as he composed himself and stood straightening himself up as he then turned to look at the guard who by this time was shaking in genuine fear as the assassin neared him, it was only then that he noticed he was rather young, perhaps even younger than Ezio.

"If I ever see you again…I will kill you without thinking twice," Altair whispered to him as he reached behind the guard and cut off the restraints as he grabbed him by the collar of his metal armor and dragged him to the door. He kicked it open and shoved the guard outside as he looked back in surprise and ran for his life down into the city once more.

"Why did you let him go?" Ezio asked surprised as Altair turned to look at him and kicking the door closed. The look on the Arab's face said it all as Ezio nodded, his words had truly affected the grand master after all.

"It's nearly morning, we should be getting back, we might have to change the location of the bureau," Ezio commented as Altair remained silent the whole time, the Italian could tell he still wanted blood, but he couldn't help but thank the force that had stopped a torture session from starting in his presence.

The whole way back the guards had avoided them, it would stay that way for a while, at least until the kid Altair let go got it back together and composed himself and commanded the guards as the new captain, for now…everything was chaos.

But chaos also had its benefits, it helped the assassins out quite a bit, they could walk through the streets without worrying about the guards, not to mention it made their contracts much easier.

They soon made it back to the bureau as the sun shined brightly down on them, making the heat unbearable, it was on days like this were Ezio just wished the Grand Master would get over his fear of water and learned to swim, that way he wouldn't have to go alone to cool off, perhaps the girls would kindly accompany him…Bad idea, suggesting such a thing would probably earn him a smack to the back of the head from the older assassin, or an attempt at murder due to Altair being so tense.

Truth be told Ezio couldn't wait to be back at the bureau and away from Altair, the Italian could feel the hate just pouring out of the older assassin, and it was suffocating him.

He dropped down not really caring to make a quiet entrance followed by Altair who landed quietly as always as they both froze in surprise once they glanced around.

Both of the girls were sleeping, no doubt exhausted from the events that had happened over the past few days as the assassins just stared at them for what seemed ages.

Annalise suddenly waking up as she sat up and rubbed her eyes before glancing up at the pair that just stood there looking at her. She frowned once she noticed they were both covered in blood.

"It is not what it seems," Ezio started as she motioned them to stay quiet, Monica shifting slightly and turning to her side as Annalise glanced at her friend hopping she wouldn't wake up, she needed sleep the most.

"She barely managed to fall asleep," Annalise told them as Ezio nodded and offered his hand to help her up as they both walked in to the part where Malik was leaving Altair behind in the open part of the bureau. He was about to follow after them when something caught his attention.

He walked over to the sleeping highschooler and crouched next to her in the sea of pillows as he looked at the bit of exposed skin on the side of her hips, he gently rose her shirt ever so slightly to reveal what he had thought, bruises scattered everywhere as he froze once she shifted again still asleep.

His eyes narrowed dangerously once he noticed a trail of dried blood and followed it with his hand as he found a deep cut near her lower stomach, he couldn't help but growl, why had she kept this from him?

"Altair?" her soft voice broke him from his thoughts as he came crashing back down and glanced back at her, she had a sleepy look on her face as her eyes darted from the cut to him in panic.

"Why did you not tell me?" he asked quietly, his own voice shocked him, he had intended it to be angry at her, furious at the very least, but it came out quite the opposite, he almost sounded…concerned.

"It's nothing ok?" she replied quickly trying to avoid his question all together as he tensed. It's nothing? It would probably leave a scar…and yet she said it was nothing?

She flinched slightly when he tilted his head, he would never understand her, and the day he did Ezio would teach him how to swim.

"Get up, if that is not treated accordingly it will get infected," he told her holding out his hand as she took it after a moment of thought as he helped her up the wall and climbed up himself.

"We need to make a stop somewhere else, I can't go outside walking like this," he told her as he cut through an alleyway as she followed close behind as he went into an abandoned house that the creed used for supplying them with important tools as he walked over to a wardrobe and opened it. Sure enough his black grand master clothes were there.

She turned to look out of the window in embarrassment when he started to get dressed as if she wasn't even there. After a few seconds he tapped her on the shoulder as she turned to look at his new outfit. She had always preferred that one than his normal white robes.

After an approving nod from her they headed back outside to find the closest doctor. She didn't have to wait long as they rounded a corner and found a stand with a doctor who already had his eye on her since she had been holding her side the whole time.

"Ah good to see you again my friend, I see you brought someone new this time," the doctor commented eyeing Monica who stood behind Altair looking over his huge frame compared to hers as she looked at the doctor curiously.

"You guys are regular visitors here?" she asked Altair jokingly as she managed to crack a barely visible smirk out of the corner of his mouth with her humor.

"No, but Ezio should be coming here soon," he told her as she rose an eyebrow in curiosity once more before he stepped out of the way as the doctor lead her behind yet another curtain as the assassin followed behind.

"That's a nasty looking cut you have there young lady, how did you get it?" the doctor asked as he applied something that made Monica hiss and grab onto Altair's robes in pain as she gritted her teeth.

"I didn't play nicely with the rest of the boys and girls," she replied jokingly as the doctor chuckled in response.

"I bet you didn't, it will leave a mark you know," he added looking up at her as she frowned slightly.

"Glorious," she replied sarcastically as he finished up and wrapped a bandage around it. She tossed a few coins at him, worth more than the job he had done as they walked away leaving the doctor to stare at his hand with the gold coins in it, it was an equivalent to a week of work and yet she had just given it to him without a second thought.

They were about to head back when she wandered off form Altair's side and got distracted with all of the stands in the market place.

"Since we are already here we should go and pick up your clothes," the assassin suggested as Monica drew back her finger from a cage that held a hawk she had been teasing and looked up at him and nodded.

By the time they arrived at the stand the merchant had already been expecting them as he held out the pieces of clothing for her.

"You mind if I change?" she asked the merchant as he led her behind yet another curtain, Altair however staying behind this time to wait for her.

She came out a second later in black leather pants which clung tightly to her curves in a provocative manner and a black shirt with a matching leather vest and gloves, her boots topping the whole look off.

"Love it!" she told the merchant, he could tell she did, she was absolutely grinning from ear to ear as she examined her outfit calling the attention of several men as she stretched and bent down getting the feel of it.

Altair caught himself staring as well as he diverted his eyes elsewhere, but hell it was hard to when he had her doing all of those things right next to him. Several women stopping to see the merchant asking for the same outfit.

"Sorry ladies, it is one of a kind, I will not make duplicates," the merchant told them as they all left with scowls on their faces as Monica waved goodbye as they glared at her.

"What do you think?" she asked Altair and the merchant as she rested her hands on her hips and turned to look at them.

"Absolutely magnificent, I would have made it for no one else," the merchant added almost instantly as Altair struggled to say anything, he had not been anticipating her question.

"How about coming home with me honey!" one guard added as several more men joined in as Monica rolled her eyes and turned to look at them.

"In your dreams babe!" she called back mockingly causing a choir of laughs to erupt mocking the guard as she jumped suddenly feeling a pair of arms wrap around her waist. She glanced up to see Altair glaring at the guards who still remained hoping for a partner as he looked down at her.

"Play along," he whispered to her as she nodded slightly, "this one is already mine, sorry gentlemen," he called over as they all made noises of disappointment and went along their way finally leaving her in peace.

She frowned once his arms left her, she felt cold all of a sudden, she missed him being so close although she would never admit it out loud.

"They should not be a bother to you any more, they never mess with me," Altair told her, so that had been his plan all along; once the guards saw him 'claim' her they would no longer mess with her, clever.

"Well that's a bit selfish don't-OH MY GOD LOOK AT THAT CAT!" she yelled like an overjoyed child as the assassin jumped slightly being the twitchy person that he was. She literally ran from him once more to another stand as he shrugged at the merchant who threw him a questioning glance and followed after her quietly once more.

He didn't know if he could be serious around her for much longer once he caught up to her as he observed her cuddle with a black oriental cat as she hugged it close to her. He continued to watch until she finally noticed him staring and asked something he wasn't expecting.

"Can I buy it?" she asked with puppy dog eyes as he resisted the strong urge to face palm, her look along with the cat's own pleading one combined truly had him up against a wall with no way out.

After all Malik had a thing for cats as well, he just seemed to have a soft spot for the things, Altair could never understand him, or in this case her as she scratched the cats stomach earning herself loud purrs from the thing as she looked up at him waiting for an answer.

"Very well," he replied in a monotone voice as she smiled at him and handed the merchant the money for the animal and left cuddling with the thing towards the bureau, Altair by her side stealing glances now and then at her and then cat, the damn thing was stealing all of her attention…but why did he care? He sighed quietly once they reached said bureau as he helped her up and watched as she dropped down by herself landing quietly much to his surprise cat still in hand as she headed in to show Malik.

"He let you buy a cat?" Malik asked as she handed the animal over to him as he too cuddled with the thing, they always got to him.

Altair walking in to see both of them completely turned away from him facing the cat…the damn thing was stealing all of his people's attention…even Malik had fallen victim to the cat.

"What is the meaning of this, you wouldn't allow me to buy a cat and yet she already owns one?" Malik asked as he noticed an aggravated assassin standing on the doorway glaring at the two but most importantly at the cat which meowed back at him mockingly.

"Enjoy it will you can Malik, tomorrow we ride for Masyaf, they will be introduced into the order," Altair told him as Monica glanced over at him and for the first time since she got the cat turned all of her attention on to him.

"Wait, so were leaving Malik behind?" she asked sadly as she turned to look at the ex-assassin, she had become friends with him after all.

"Who's leaving who behind?" Annalise asked as she dropped down into the bureau followed by Ezio who had on a different set of robes showing off his high rank in the creed as he too walked in with a curious expression as he saw the cat toying with Malik's pen on the desk.

"And what is that cat doing here, don't tell me you managed to get him to buy a cat," he told Monica as she nodded while Ezio's mouth dropped open in shock, he was gone for twenty minutes to change clothes and get Annalise's as well and Altair was out buying cats and deciding trips.

"As I said so before, we leave at dawn for Masyaf, and Malik is coming as well, I arranged for his replacement while he is away," Altair told them heading out of the bureau leaving them all to think of tomorrow's trip as he climbed up the wall for some fresh air, today had been too eventful.

His mind wandered to one thing as the sun finally started to set, the cat. The damn thing would be the death of him one of these days…

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