Chapter 10

03/06/2014

04:20

Brooklyn, New York, USA

Desmond rolled out of bed on silent feet. It was a rare morning that both Lucy and Kyle slept longer than he did – his son had always been an early riser, like himself. He sighed, glancing at the clock, a smirk playing on his face as he showered and dressed. He'd used to look forward to this time, the time right after work, when he'd head home. The streets of New York would be darkened and relatively quiet, and except for the occasional bum sleeping in a doorway, he'd relished the time alone – until the day Abstergo's goons had shattered that silence forever.

Now his mind was never quiet, roiling with the knowledge of the Apples and the presence of his two ancestors. He padded out to his living room, stretching, feeling joints pop in protest. The days of lying in the Animus again were taking their toll on his body, and he sighed.

His alternate's expression bore a peace he knew wasn't reflected in his. Despite the anguish his situation had obviously caused him, he seemed peaceful, and Desmond wondered if he would have turned out that way, had things been different…

Altair's voice echoed softly in his mind.

"You do not give yourself enough credit, Desmond. Your alternate was wise…and his sorrow came from his wisdom. He knew enough to be able to devise a way to see what he could not touch…much as I had, when I first discovered how to use the Apple. It is a burden I wish on no one."

Desmond sighed. "I agree with you, Altair. I just wish…"

Altair finished his thought for him. "There was nothing you could have done, Desmond. Nor should you have, as cruel as it might sound. What happened to your alternate in that reality was the truest expression of our Creed."

Desmond's gaze narrowed as he moved to the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee.

"What do you mean?"

Ezio's voice spoke next, as he appeared leaning against the counter. "The Creed commands us to be wise, Desmond…that our choices are ultimately and finally our own…and it instructs us to live with those choices. Regretting a choice made is pointless…once done, it cannot be undone."

Altair's voice spoke quietly from beside Ezio. "If I have learned anything since I began this journey with you, Desmond…it is that the Creed proves true in many more ways than I could have imagined. 'Nothing is true…' as we are finding out…due to the existence of these other worlds…nothing really is true. Every choice has an impact, no matter how tiny, and every choice has consequences. 'Everything is permitted' – certainly taken to its most literal of meanings, because somewhere in some other time and place…everything did happen."

Both ancient Assassins went quiet, their expressions troubled.

Desmond was silent a moment, then said, "I know guys, it scares me too."

Altair's voice was quiet as he said, "Will you attempt to contact your son's alternate as your future self suggested?"

Desmond shook his head firmly, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "No. I never promised him I'd do that, and no matter if it's Ky's alternate or not, I won't put him in that kind of danger, and I don't care how old he is."

Ezio watched as Desmond sipped the hot coffee carefully. Desmond frowned. "Ezio, do you want some?" Ezio looked at Altair, then back at Desmond. "I…I do not know if I can drink it." Desmond shrugged, handing the Italian Assassin a mug.

"No time like the present."

Ezio frowned, taking a careful sip of his own coffee and making a face.

"It is bitter."

Desmond smiled, adding in a generous amount of milk and sugar, and Ezio laughed. "I once told Antonio he should consider putting milk and sugar in his caffé…" He looked a little sad as he said, "He would have found you offering me the same very amusing indeed."

Desmond laughed softly, looking at Altair, whose eyes were narrowed, watching the Italian Assassin sip the brew.

"Would you like some, Altair?"

The Syrian Assassin shook his head. "I prefer tea."

Desmond nodded, rummaging in the cabinets for the tea set he knew Lucy kept.

"I think this calls for me to make you guys breakfast."

The ancient Assassins looked at one another, and to Desmond's surprise, Altair laughed. "This will be the first breakfast I will have had in 800 years. Perhaps I am overdue."

Desmond grinned even as he pulled out numerous pans. "Long overdue, Altair."

Lucy roused to a delicious smell wafting from the kitchen and the sound of laughter. She glanced over at the crib, but Kyle slept on, unusually late for him. She checked him over before creeping out into the living room. Desmond and the two ancestral Assassins sat around the dining table, and to Lucy's surprise there was a full breakfast made…eggs, pancakes, bacon and fruit.

Altair sat nearest the bedroom, eating a pancake drenched in syrup and some fruit. Ezio was apparently doing his best to eat everything in sight.

Desmond grinned at her stunned look. "What do you expect, neither one of them has eaten anything in hundreds of years."

Lucy frowned. "I'm not going to think about the physics of how any of this is possible." Desmond laughed. "And here I am thinking what a jerk I've been, not offering them something sooner."

Ezio stopped eating long enough to say, "I do not feel hungry, Desmond…in the same way that I remember feeling hungry." He grinned. "But the food is delicious."

Desmond smiled. "I'm not the best cook in the world, but I did spend enough nights covering the kitchen to get down the basics…and breakfast has always been my favorite meal."

Lucy smiled. It was a strangely comforting scene, seeing all three Assassins gathered over breakfast, laughing at some off-color joke Ezio had picked up from watching TV.

The comfortable din of breakfast was broken by a piercing scream from the bedroom, and before Lucy was fully aware of having moved, she stood over Kyle's crib. The baby's eyes were wide with terror, and his cries were almost panicked. She picked him up, but he writhed in her grip, and she felt Desmond take him gently, cradling him in one arm and firmly placing his hand on the baby's head.

"Whatsa matter, little man?" he murmured in a calming, almost singsong voice. "Show me what's got you so scared…"

Desmond's eyes flared golden, and Lucy saw the same light reflected in Kyle's eyes, and gradually the baby began to calm, his cries fading to hiccups. Desmond's expression was shocked a moment, then settled into a resolute gaze, and Lucy saw his jaw working in the manner that meant he was angry.

None of that anger reflected in his voice as the baby calmed down more fully, his expression becoming delighted as Desmond handed him to Ezio, who smiled at the boy, tickling him with his beard, though his dark eyes belied some of the anger Lucy saw reflected in Desmond's.

"What happened Des?" she said quietly, and Desmond's voice was soft as he said, "Someone came through the tear under DIA. Whoever it was I couldn't see, but they terrified Ky. We need to get to the HQ."

Laetitia met them at the door of the Assassin's temporary HQ, her expression troubled. "Desmond, my team in Denver reports that a young man came through the rift under the airport and then collapsed. When they pulled back his hood, they sent a photo…and I think you should see it."

Desmond took the proffered cell phone silently, his eyes settling on the image of an unconscious young man with dark curly hair and tanned skin. He wore a golden half-loop in his right ear. His face was Desmond's at 17, his lips unscarred, and Desmond knew without needing to see his eyes that they were golden as his were. A tribal tattoo in the same style as Desmond's own ran down the left side of his face.

"God dammit, if I could go back and punch myself for doing this, I would…" he hissed. "God fucking dammit." Lucy came up behind him, her expression concerned. "Des? What's the…" her eyes settled on the image he held in his now shaking hand, and he heard her gasp.

"Oh my God…Des…he looks just like you…is he another alternate?"

Desmond's voice was tight with rage as he said, "He's Ky's alternate, Luce. My alternate…the one I told you all about, he fucking sent him here because he knew I wouldn't ask Ky for help myself. I didn't want to put him in danger…"

He growled, handing back the phone to a stunned Laetitia. "Can you get me a flight to Denver?"

Laetitia nodded. Desmond turned to Lucy, his eyes fierce.

"Luce…until we know what's going to happen, I need you to keep our Ky away from him. If it's safe to bring him here I will."

Lucy nodded, her gaze troubled. "Be careful, Des. He might be Ky, but we don't know what his intentions really are."

Desmond nodded, kissing their son on the top of his head before he turned and followed Laetitia, Juhani, Michael and John out the door.

A/N: Finally had some time to write today, after passing out utterly for 2 and a half hours. Yeah. The sleep bat, it hit me pretty hard. :P This chapter's a little short because I didn't want to drag out scenes. Thanks to Mad About the Boro for the name catch. It's been fixed.