Hey Everyone! Well here is Chapter 9 and just in time for Christmas :) This doesn't follow on exactly from the game but i'm trying to keep it within the time line of the games so as things progress I will try to keep it true to the original Assassin's Creed timeline :) Anyway I hope you all like where i'm going with this.

This is still unbetaed so all mistakes are my own, and you might not get another chapter for a while as one Christmas and I will be spending time with my family who i haven't seen since I left for Uni and two I do have a lot of Assignments to do over the holidays unfortunately :/ lol anyway I wont blabber on anymore Enjoy!


Chapter 9

Sleep evaded the Master Assassin for a time, causing him to shift on the hard tavern bed. His mind plagued him with scenes from his past, flickering images crawling behind his closed eyes. For a while none of them made any sense just glimpses of old memories. He saw his brothers laughing in the garden of their Villa in Firenze, the happy image only lasted a second before it faded into the cold faces of his family swinging from the gallows. Then a shade of blue, so familiar to Ezio washed over him, shielding the painful images from view and giving him a sense of calm. Ezio felt himself drift further into his dreams.

-Flashback-

Ezio road quickly from the borders of Rome, spurring his horse on, until the city was just a spot in the distance. The Assassin's mind raced with the events in the vault, and he had spared Roderigo's life. At the time, Ezio had come to a realisation, his need for vengeance was not going to bring back his beloved family, the anger that had been burning inside of him for ten years had suddenly died, snuffed out like the flame of a candle burnt out. He was sure he would regret his decision later, but at the time he had just become tired. Once he was out of immediate danger Ezio slowed his horse and rode back towards Monteriggioni. They journey was pleasant as Ezio felt as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, until finally he could see the sprawling walled town standing proudly in the Tuscan hillside. As he approached Ezio was met with the happy welcomes from the towns people. He stopped his horse just outside the Villa and a pleasant man took the mount away to be fed and rested. Ezio walked up the stairs, taking in the familiar sights and smells, the sun had began to set, casting a deep golden glow over the town. Once at the Villa, Claudia came rushing out to meet the Assassin.

"Ezio!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around her brother, in a warm hug.

"Claudia, it is good to see you."

"Mario and the others are waiting for you in the study."

"Thank you I will speak with them shortly, but first happy birthday sister." Ezio replied, placing a kiss onto Claudia's cheek.

"You remembered!" she said happily.

"How could I forget, you give me little credit sister." Ezio said teasingly, feigning hurt. "Now Claudia, before I tell Mario and the others what happened in Roma, there is someone I need to see. Where is he?" Claudia's excitement suddenly fell, she looked reluctant to answer her brother.

"He left Ezio, about two days after you. He went to Milan."

"Then I must go there straight away." Ezio said with determination, turning to walk back down the steps of the Villa towards the stables. Just then Mario came outside, and put a firm hand on his nephews shoulder, halting his movements.

"Ezio, you can not leave now."

"Why?" Ezio said frustrated.

"Because, you will be killed on sight! You are the most wanted man in all of Italia, think about it Ezio you killed the Pope!"

"Roderigo is still alive."

"What!" Mario shouted.

"I didn't kill him, he had already lost."

"You may regret that decision Ezio, but I understand." Mario said squeezing Ezio's shoulder in reassurance. "But you still cannot go to Milan, an attack on the Pope would still leave you the most wanted man in Italia, you would never get inside the city."

"Then I shall wait, until people forget my face."

"It will take time Ezio."

"I know."

Ezio busied himself in the running of Monteriggioni for about four months before attempting to enter Milan. He didn't even get near the city before guards where chasing him away with arrows and other artillery. Ezio refrained from writing in case letters where intercepted and people discovered Leonardo's connection to the Assassin. Ezio could never put Leonardo in danger that way. It was killing Ezio slowly, knowing that Leonardo was out there and Ezio could not reach him to let him know he was safe. The day's where easier, Ezio could help train the new mercenaries or help devise new plans for the town's fortifications, but the nights where hard. Ezio frequently found himself trying to chase away the loneliness of the night by burying himself in account books and papers. But when they failed to distract him from the growing hole in his chest, the Assassin found himself wandering down to Leonardo's old workshop and just standing inside, imagining the smell or paint and charcoal. Ezio found some comfort in the familiar space, he could almost hear the soft scratching of Leonardo as he drew, but the memories where always chased away by cold reality.

Six months since Rome, Ezio attempted to enter Milan. This time he made it inside the city. On high alert, Ezio made his way to a tavern to try and get some information about Leonardo's whereabouts from the local thieves, however once inside some drunken civilian apparently recognised Ezio from the old posters and quickly proclaimed "Assassino!" causing the whole tavern to rush in a fit of commotion and Ezio only narrowly made it back into the streets. Ezio ran for his life, through the unfamiliar city, away from any guards until he found a horse and rode off. Once a safe distance from the city, and Ezio could no longer hear the calls of the guards, the Assassin addressed the wound he had acquired in his shoulder. When trying to escape an archer had hit him with an arrow. Ezio's knee jerk reaction was to seek out Leonardo, but of course that was not an option, so he cleaned and wrapped the wound as best he could before riding back to Monteriggioni.

The wound had gotten infected by the time Ezio returned which made him bed bound for a long time. Once the fever had subsided and his life was no longer in immediate danger, Ezio took time to heal. The arrow had pierced right through his shoulder blade and now his shoulder felt stiff. Ezio spent a long time retraining his body to accommodate the injury until it was stronger, then he trained himself to compensate for the slight lack of flexibility in his shoulder. He did not chance another visit to Milan. The healing process had taken about three months, and Ezio was beginning to think that maybe fate did not want him to see Leonardo again, but he would not give up. He decided to wait out the rest of the year, and chance another attempt to enter Milan then. Time seemed to slow and now Ezio was back to full strength he found himself again lacking anything to occupy himself with. His mood began to grow sullen and easily angered until almost everyone avoided him, in case they accidently enraged him. The only person willing to face the Assassin was Claudia. She attempted to cheer him up, understanding that this was hard on him, but after a while even she grew tired of Ezio's moping.

"Ezio! Would you cheer up already?" she shouted at him from across the desk. Ezio however acted as though she hadn't even raised her voice. He glanced up from the accounts in front of him and looked at her.

"Claudia – "

"No Ezio I don't want to hear it I know you are upset about everything but you have to stop this moping. In know time you will be able to go to Milan."

"I know, that is not what bothers me."

"Then what is it?" She asked a little more kindly.

"I worry that he has moved on." Ezio said quietly, casting his eyes downwards to busy himself with Monteriggioni's accounts.

"I'm sure he will be pleased to see you Ezio." Claudia answered placing a tender hand on her brother's shoulder.

January eventually came to pass and Ezio eagerly sought a horse with previsions to get him to Milan. Claudia wished him well, and a safe return before the Assassin mounted up and spurred his horse down the road. Ezio's journey was mostly uneventful and he tried to gage the current gossip circulating Italy through listening to traveller's conversations. He heard nothing of the Assassin. Once he reached Milan's borders Ezio was weary but when he was met with no resistance he relaxed a little. No one seemed to recognise him, or pay him any mind they just carried on with their own business. Once inside the city Ezio quickly sought out a contact he had within the city to establish Leonardo's whereabouts. The contact told him that Leonardo's patron had given him a workshop towards the south end of the city. Ezio made his way there but once faced with the door of his artists shop, he couldn't bring himself to knock. He stood there for a moment, while the sky grew darker behind him, until he finally gave two hard raps on the door, but waited for someone to answer. From the outside Ezio heard the muffled voice of Leonardo call to someone to answer the door, and where there was no reply Ezio heard footsteps make their way towards him. His heart leapt inside his chest, pounding against his ribs, until finally the door opened to reveal the familiar red cap and blue eyes he loved so much.

Leonardo stared for a long moment, eyes widening at the sight he had long thought he would never see again. In front of the artist stood the hooded Assassin he had loved so dearly, Ezio's grey eyes bore into his own, before a timid smile graced his scared lips. Ezio was about to say something when Leonardo abruptly shut the door in his face. Ezio was stunned for a moment before opening the door and walking inside. As he closed the door behind him, Ezio saw Leonardo walking away towards the back of the workshop.

"Leo, let me –"

"I never thought this day would come." Leonardo said in a pained voice, his back still to the Assassin. "I thought you were dead Ezio!" the painter shouted, turning around quickly with a burning stare. "Roderigo lives and I hear no word from your for over a year! Then you show up at my door like some ghost intent on tormenting me further."

"I came as soon as I could"

"A year Ezio! An not a single word, you could have written for God's sake!"

"If I had written to you, they may have discovered your connection to me. I couldn't risk that."

"You could have encrypted it Ezio, or spoke of something only I would know of, something that would indicate it was from you!" Leonardo shouted, his eyes aflame with pent up emotion. Ezio stared into his crystal blue eyes and saw pain and loss in them.

"I tried to get here sooner, but every time some one spotted me and I was chased from the city. I was the most wanted man in Italia Leo! Attacking the Pope does that." Ezio said without humour, "I couldn't risk anything, never with you!" Ezio shouted back, his own frustration and loneliness feeding his anger.

"You where in the city before?" Leonardo asked, some of his anger dissipating.

"Yes about six months ago."

"Then it really was you." Leonardo whispered taking a step closer to Ezio, but almost afraid that if he reached out his hand the Assassin would vanish like smoke through his fingers.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw you. I thought it was just a figment of my imagination, my loneliness and longing for you causing me to see you. I thought you were dead Ezio, and after they announced that an attack on the Pope had failed, that he had survived I assumed the worst… and then I didn't hear anything from you, it only made my fears reality so I tried to move on…surrounding myself in my work, I could never love another but nothing would quell the burning ach in my chest, and when I saw you, just a glimpse in the busy streets, I was sure it was you, I hoped, but I didn't see you again so that hope died."

"You saw me?" Ezio said breathlessly, he had been so close to his artist but hadn't realised it.

"Please tell me you are real Ezio, I don't think my heart could take such disappointment if you suddenly…disappear again."

Ezio took a few steps closer, placing one callous palm on the artist's cheek, before leaning in until their lips almost touched. He could smell the familiar scent of paint, charcoal and something that was distinctly Leonardo.

"I kept my promise Leo, I came back to you." Ezio whispered, his hot breath ghosting over the artists lips, before Ezio leaned in and captured them in a searing kiss. They gripped each other tightly, unwilling to let go having spent so long apart. Leonardo wound his hands into Ezio's clothes pulling him tight against his chest, melting into the kiss and relaxing slightly. Ezio could feel Leonardo's desperation in the kiss, all his longing and hoping that the Assassin would return melted as he started to believe that Ezio was really there and not just a twisted concoction of a lonely mind. Ezio finally felt like this restlessness of the past year just dissipated. They eventually had to break the kiss, both needing air but neither pulled more than an inch apart. Leonardo continued to cling to Ezio's Assassin's tunic before burying his face into the familiar cotton and inhaling the almost forgotten smell of his Assassin. While Ezio rested his chin on top of the artists head the familiar red cap cushioning him.

-End Flashback-

Warm morning light crawled behind the Master Assassin's eyes. He felt the sun slowly pull him away from the fringes of sleep, yet he was reluctant to wake, trying desperately to cling to the fond memory and haunting smell of paint and charcoal. Ezio eventually opened his eyes and rose from the bed. He rubbed callous palms over aged eyes, chasing away the final staged of sleep. But he desperately tried to cling to the familiar scent of paint and charcoal for just a bit longer…


Well there you have it Chapter 9 :) I hope you all enjoyed it and please review as it means so much to hear what you guys think anyway I shall see you all in Chapter 10 :)