An: I'll work on more chapters for other stories this weekend. No school tomorrow, but I have to make a DNA model, as well as travel to Fairmont for my GSA audition. (I'm going to creative writing) so wish me luck!

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He had slept uncharacteristically well that night. So well, that when his eyes opened, he felt completely and utterly refreshed. He lounged in bed for minutes; tracing over his plans for the day, before Temperance quietly slipped into the room and tried to make her way over to her stuff without disturbing him.

"You know I'm awake right?" he asked, chuckling when she jumped and glared at him.

"It's about time," she grumbled. "It's close to noon. I've been up since six, running around town making all sorts of arrangements for our funds. I forgot how fucking huge Rome was..."

"Ride a horse."

"I have been, and it still took too much time. The guards are hyper sensitive to anyone's appearance. I put one foot over their lines and they attack. I had to try and stay away from them, all the while trying to find money opportunities and bankers around Rome that aren't out of business," she said, sitting on the side of her bed, and opening the drawers of her nightstand. "Machiavelli wants us to set up a bank account, so we can keep our money safe. He says that we will need it in the near future, though, he didn't tell me what for exactly."

"Well, once we start chipping away at the Borgia's hold over the city, who's going to reopen all of the stores?" Seeley asked, sitting up in his bed and stretching his arms over his head. "We'll need money to renovate the stores, as well as renovate all across the city. Though, that will pull in lots of revenue for us."

"So, not only do we need a bank account we need a book keeper...wonderful," Temperance whispered, scrubbing her hands over her face. "I have no idea where I'm going to find a book keeper."

"Don't worry about that," the assassin shrugged off. "Let Machiavelli handle it. He suggested we set up a fund, he can take care of the small stuff. We get the money, he finds someone to take care of it. Seems fair enough don't you think?"

"I suppose, but I also want things to be done right," she said. "Though...situations like this never go as planned."

"Not when you're as stressed as you are," Seeley laughed, walking closer and sitting down beside her on her bed. His hand rose to her back, and his thumb rubbed against the tension held in her shoulders; massaging and rubbing up and down her spine. "You look exhausted. Why don't you take a nap for a couple hours. I can take care of getting the money we need. I'll help Machiavelli with the book keeper, and I'll check the factions to make sure that everything is alright so far."

"That would be amazing," she mused, smiling as her eyes closed against the pleasure rolling up and down her spine. "But, there is too much for me to do. I can't sleep when I have lists of things that must be done."

"Put sleeping at the top of your list. Come on, I'll get some of the good wine from down in the basement. That'll loosen you enough to help you fall asleep."

"I get to laze in bed in the middle of the day, and get offered some of the finest wine in Rome?" Temperance laughed, as she opened her eyes enough to look at him. "I'm a very lucky woman."

"I'll take that as your acceptance," he whispered, rubbing her shoulders against before he stood and absently ran his fingers through his hair. "Light some of your calming candles, and cover up the windows. I'll be back with your drink, and I expect you to be under the covers and relaxed."

"Yes sir."

~*~*B+B*~*~

"Seeley!" Machiavelli called as he caught the assassin sneaking down the stairs from the barracks. "Where is Temperance? We have important and crucial things to discuss."

"I have ordered her to relax," Seeley explained. "She's a smart woman. She knows better than to defy my orders."

"Well you both seem to be stupid enough to defy mine," Machiavelli growled. "These are the times were we build the foundation of our cause. Money is something we need Seeley. We need to find someone who will keep our records, and we need to find a reliable bank which will handle our money and won't be broken by the Borgia. And both of you need to start bringing in an income. This isn't the time to laze around whenever you please."

"I agree with everything you say Machiavelli," he said, opening the door to the wine cellar, and slipping down the steep set of stairs. "But we need to be in tip top shape if you want us to perform one hundred percent. She needs sleep. Once she rests for a couple hours she will be ready to go out and get more money for us. Until then, I will work on the revenue, while you find our book keeper."

"Me?" Machiavelli asked, narrowing his eyes as Seeley traced his finger over the rows of wine stored under the hideout. "Why do I have to do it?"

"Because we are doing everything else," Seeley explained, tapping the glass of a specific bottle, before he pulled it out of the rack, and made his way upstairs. "You didn't think that you could just...remain hidden in this hideout handing out orders? Sorry Niccolò, but it's not going to be that easy."

"Find, I will find out book keep, but I have a quota Seeley," Niccolò growled. "It will be strict. This is understood?"

"Crystal clear," the assassin agreed, grabbing two wine glasses and saluting to his brother. "I'm sure we will pull in enough florins to keep the king of England satisfied for the rest of his life."

"Then I will expect nothing less," Machiavelli growled, glaring at the retreating form of Seeley and contemplating why he still remained shirtless, and was bringing some of Rome's most expensive wine to their bedroom...

~*~*B+B*~*~

"Treating yourself as well I see," Temperance pointed out when Seeley opened the door, and slammed it closed with his foot. "Though, with that stalk of a walk...it seems you need it. Niccolò?"

"He's bat shit crazy when it comes to all of this," Seeley explained, as he handed her a wine glass, and easily removed the cork from the aged bottle. "I know that this is a very urgent matter, but it will not be hard for us to bring it money. I can work side jobs for citizens and nobles of Roma. You can pick pocket until your heart's content...we'll be set for years."

"That's what we need though," she explained, accepting the alcohol he poured in her glass, and extending her drink to his in a toast. "This isn't going to end in a couple months. He's so overwhelmed with this stuff because we will most likely be here for a couple years."

"Years?" he asked, sinking down onto the edge of her bed. "These people have to suffer for years?"

"No," she argued. "Cesare will remain...mostly...in power for years. But, the small things we do on the way will make life better for the citizens. Trust me. Economy will bounce back. People can get more jobs. Starvation rates will go down...we will fix the broken aqueducts and water can be distributed throughout ALL of Rome. Everything will become better steadily. Hope will be able to form, and no longer with the people suffer. Alright? But we need to do this right. This isn't something that we can fuck up."

"You know, you're a very interesting character," Seeley mused, as his eyes traveled over the ivory skin of her face that was still revealed by the shadows circling the room. "You analyze everything as if you were a scholar that learned how to speak fluent Latin when you where three years old...but then, when you wrap up your statement, you are able to sound like a sailor that was born sailing a ship."

"Even though that would be impossible," she began. "I thank you. I think. That's a compliment right?"

"I believe so," he agreed, smiling and sharing a laugh with her, as they once again touched their wine glasses together, and drank some of the sweet, yet strong alcohol. "It makes you likeable. You're intriguing when you speak with your higher intelligence, but I'm not smart enough to understand it. When you end your note on something I can actually relate to...it makes you that much more appealing."

"Appealing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow to him, and resting back against her pillows. "Were you 'appealed' to me...before you listened to me speak?"

"Well, the very first time I met you, you were screaming profanities into high heaven," he explained. "I've never heard a woman speak like that. Of course you were appealing. Once I actually got to talk to you...even though you were infuriating, listening to you speak, hearing how you saw the world...fascinating seemed to be an understatement."

"Well...I'm glad that you find me fascinating," she chuckled. "It'll keep you from finding out how boring I really am."

"Boring? How in the hell are YOU boring?"

"I had a bad childhood that led me into the arms of the thieves guilds. I spend my days free running and stealing from the rich, so I can give to those poorer. I'm not the first to do the same. I fail to find what is interesting about me, other than my abnormally high intelligence. You on the other hand...you are fascinating."

"How so?"

"All assassins are fascinating," Temperance explained, pouring more wine for herself, before extending the bottle to her partner. "You guys are the epitome of mystery. I doubt anyone other than an assassin has seen the inside of this hideout. Your ceremonies are secret. Your movements are quiet. Your kills are almost always unnoticed. You move with the shadows that people fear, yet somehow manage to serve a bigger, and better purpose."

"Except...I'm a broken record. I haven't found that 'better purpose' yet."

"Yes you have. You just don't want to face the reality that killing, can actually be an acceptable solution," she whispered, rolling onto her knees and crawling towards him until she sidled up right to his side. "Listen, you know better than anyone who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. You have to realize that sometimes, killing the bad guys, makes life for the good guys easier."

"It's not making it easier for me," he grumbled, knocking back the rest of the wine in his glass, before treated himself once again.

"Hey," she muttered, leaning into her shoulder so that she could reach up and grasp his chin with her fingers. She turned his eyes towards her, and parted her lips softly as she noticed the proximity that was being held between them. "You need to listen to me...Killing is NEVER a GOOD option for anything. You understand that. But, in certain situations...death is the only way out. There are people in this world that don't deserve to live, and we have to act as the people to get rid of them. Now, answer this...who is our main target?"

"Cesare, and Rodrigo," he answered, sliding his hand behind her back so he could lean closer to her.

"Exactly...we're going after Cesare...and Rodrigo. Not every Borgia guard that walks the streets of Rome. We eliminate those two people, and those forces will cease to exist. Do you understand? Some of those guards we need to kill, because they will get in our way...but most of them will have their lives spared, because we went after their leader. We are saving lives from both sides keeping our eyes on those two...now, will you please remember that for me? I...I find that I dislike seeing you upset. Especially seeing you as upset as you were last night."

"Right," he whispered, letting his eyes fall to her lips, before regaining her gaze. "Thank you."

"Seeley!" Machiavelli called, as he pounded on the door to the barracks. "Come now! It's time for us to work."

The assassin sighed, and let his head fall between them; chuckling ruefully when Temperance laughed gently. "Go," she muttered. "Might as well not make him any more angrier than he already is."

"Your right," he said, reaching his hand up and cradling her cheek, as his lips rose to touch her forehead. "Get some sleep. I'll be back in a couple hours."

"How about a walk later tonight?" she asked, as he stood and moved towards his armor.

"What do you mean?"

"Us...tonight. Let's take a walk around Rome."

"Are you asking me out on a date, Temperance?" he teased, pulling his armor over his body, and moving his hood over his head.

"Absolutely not," she deadpanned, resting back against her bed, and placing their wine glasses on the table beside her. "I was simply asking if you wanted to walk with me around town tonight. I would be going without you tonight or not."

"Well then I'm flattered, even though you say it's not a date."

"It's not a date."

"Alright, alright...I still think it's a date though."

"Kiss me, and you will be contacted with a sift punch to your genitals."

"Sweetie, you haven't experienced the euphoria my lips can bring," he laughed. "Besides...I'm smart enough to hold a woman's wrists above her if it gets...really...intense."

"Do you bind her to the bed as well?" she asked, laughing as he opened the door, and purposefully whispered: "If that's what you like baby," before he slipped away to assist Machiavelli.

"What was that about?" the philosopher asked, walking with the assassin towards the exit from the hideout.

"Oh you know...nothing really. Just...having a little mindless chit chat."