HAPPY NEW YEAR! YAY! WOOT WOOT WOOOOOOOOTTTTTT

Ahem

Okay, here's another chapter, the first of 2014! Don't you just love cliffhangers? As you guys can tell, I've had a lot of extra time on my hands since I'm still in school break. I've updated how many times in the past few days? I hope you guys had a fun time for the holidays and I hope everyone stayed safe:)

My father stepped out of the shadows with a guilty look. His hair had lost it's healthy dark brown(it was him who I got my hair from) and it was graying to show the age that he had taken on. Deep wrinkles scarred his face as he smiled sadly. His brown eyes held a sadness that I had never seen in him. I remember him being a tough, strict father. Nothing like the old man standing in front of me.
"I see your mouth hasn't gotten any better. I thought Achilles would've straightened you out by now," my father said gently.
I signaled to my crew, telling them to put down their weapons before stepping towards him hesitantly. "How do I know you aren't being controlled?"
My father's face dropped. "Louis and Iris had the track marks from the injections, right?" My father showed his neck. "I have none. I promise I'm me, sweetheart."
I was still skeptical of my father and he knew it.
"I know you don't believe me but I am begging you," my father pleaded. "Is there any way I can get you to trust me?"
I ignored his pleads. "Why were you talking with Haytham?" I asked.
My father sighed. "They needed information about you. They wanted to know who was raiding their ships and threatened to hurt your mother if I didn't give them the information."
Furrowing my brows, I asked, "How did you know it was me in the first place?"
My father half smiled, looking to the ground then back up to me. "I have a lot of pull around here now. I've known about your whereabouts for the past five years. I'm the most feared information broker on the whole coast, Piper."
I felt angry flush my body and clenched my fists, trying to remain calm as I spoke to my crew. "Go get the ship ready."
"But-" Johnson tried.
"Now!" I barked.
They left quickly after that, leaving my father and I alone. I couldn't risk them hearing any of this.
I turned to my father once I was sure they had left. "For five years you've known where I have been but you haven't bothered to even try to contact me? What the hell is wrong with you?!"
My father cleared his throat before speaking. "I knew you had a lot on your plate. I didn't want to add to that grief."
I gave him an insincere smile. "Well, it's too late. You just did. I have been without a father for nine years. God, the closest thing I had to a father was Achilles! Even before this whole shit show started, you were never there. Mom was the only reason I kept training. I wanted to make her proud and I didn't care at all what you wanted! Mom stood up for me while all you care about was training us, turning children into goddamned killing machines all for the sake of the Brotherhood!"
"Please, you have to understand. I know what you did to protect the Native boy and Achilles. You would've gone off the deep end if I had just shown up. Plus Camille was watching. I couldn't risk her seeing me."
"Who in hell is Camille?!" I yelled.
"The woman who took over Iris' body. The woman who sent you back to Ezio's time."
I rolled my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose as I groaned loudly. "This whole damn thing is becoming more and more hard to understand."
"Do you remember when you woke up in Italy?"
I nodded before folding my arms and sinking to one hip. "How could I forget?"
"You had been cut on your hand, or at least there was blood, right?"
I thought for a moment before nodding again. "Yeah, but what does that have to do with it?" I snapped.
"For you to be sent back, Camille needed your blood to activate the necklace," my father explained.
"In order for me to get back, though, I had to die. It doesn't make any sense," I said. "I didn't have that much blood when I woke up. Even when I woke up on the beach after Italy I didn't have any blood. My wound was \]almost healed."
"There are different specifications for each necklace," my father said pacing around the room. "Each necklace needs yours to be activated. Iris' needs the blood of whoever you're going to send back, Louis' needs a legitimate sacrifice of who you want to send, John's needs at least three people to participate to work, and Cindy's - well, I'm not sure about Cindy's." My dad scratched his neck. "I still need to get into contact with some of my workers to see if they figured it out yet."
I held up my hand to shut him up. "How in the world do you know all of this stuff? I mean, it makes sense about Iris' and Louis' but how can you be sure about Cindy's? I haven't even seen her ever since I was sent back."
"It's all because of being in information broker. I have a lot of contacts all around the colonies digging up information on the family. It takes time but I could help you."
I sighed as I nodded. "Fine but you'll have to stay here."
The air became tense as my father shook his head. "I'm coming with you."
I put a hand to my father's chest as he stormed up to me, pushing him back. "No, you're not. Now that the Templars know I'm raiding their ships, thanks to you, it'll be much harder to stay incognito. That's what you need right now, to stay out of sight. It's bad for business if the most feared information broker's identity gets revealed."
My father sighed but put on a stern face. "I have eyes and ears everywhere. If you ever need help," my father stuffed a piece of paper into my hands, "say this at a pub. I always have a worker or two watching. They'll help you."
I nodded and turned to leave but was stopped by my father's hand around my wrist. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw my father looking down to the floor, trying to figure out what to say.
"I'm sorry for what I've put you through," my father said. "I should've been there for you and your brothers and sisters. I know that now. I could've prevented this before it ever happened. Can you forgive me?"
I pulled my hand from his grasp roughly. I could tell he wasn't the same man he used to be but my trust wasn't so easily given. "I don't know."
"If there is anything I can do to help, please tell me."
I turned to walk out before looking back over my shoulder. "See if you can figure out if it's possible to use my necklace without anyone else's."
My father nodded firmly before standing up to his full height. "I'll do what I can."
"One last thing," I said. "I hope you understand this conversation isn't confirmation that I completely trust you. You may be my father but that doesn't mean anything to me. I'm working with you because it benefits me, not because I feel pity for you."
I left immediately after that.

XXX

"-and then he thinks he can just come back into my life after nine years of me not having him!" I rambled to Johnson.
We were below decks alone in the kitchen. Cookie had left to sleep and the rest of the crew was either above decks or asleep. It was the only place that we could get some privacy without someone coming in and asking for food. I had locked the door after Cookie had left to insure no one would hear us.
"He's known where I was for five years and he doesn't contact me?!" I paced around the room. "Then he's confused at why I don't trust him! Yes, he may be my father, but he was a total dick to me and my siblings while we were younger and now he expects me to believe him when he says he's changed?! My whole goddamned family has fallen apart and now I have him to worry about."
I huffed and sat on the ground, leaning back on a keg of rum. I sighed before closing my eyes and thumping my head on the wooden barrel. I felt Johnson sit down next to me and opened my eyes to see him holding out a dirty cup of rum.
"I know you can't hold this down too well but maybe it'll help," Johnson said. "Do what I do: drink until you can't remember what's wrong."
I smirked and took the cup from him, holding up for a toast. "A toast: our lives may not be so good but at least we have rum."
Johnson clanked his cup to mine before we both took a huge drink of the rum. The drink warmed up my whole torso as it traveled to my stomach.
I was soon done with the drink but per Johnson's advice I could still remember what was pissing me off. "I need another round."
"Coming right up, Captain," Johnson said with a smirk on his face.
I will never again drink that much alcohol in one sitting.

XXX

11 MONTHS LATER

We tracked down multiple ships in the next few months with the vials as cargo, even more than usual but, thanks to my father's help I had a few other ships under my command to help with destroying said ships. It was my father's fault that the Templar's now knew what I was up to but I chose to believe it was to protect my mother, even if my father was lying to me when he said that. I didn't trust him as much as I felt I needed to but the thoughts of him betraying me just as my other family members did quickly faded once he started to help me.
I only once had the time to visit the homestead once during my travels. Everything seemed to be in order with the homesteaders and Connor and Achilles.
"Then Samuel introduced me to the Commander-in-Chief, George Washington," Connor explained as we sat under one of the apple trees that overlooked the bay. "He seems very-"
"You met George Washington?!" I exclaimed with a look of disbelief before taking another bite of my apple.
Connor looked very confused as he nodded slowly. "Yes. Is he important in your time?"
"He's the reason we win the war," I said before leaning back on the tree next to Connor. "Even when we're young we learn about him. Hell, our nation's capital is named after him, even a state."
Connor hummed. "He seems very capable. We are lucky Charles Lee was not picked. But there is some," Connor paused, "unsavory news."
I took another bite, speaking with my mouth full. "What?"
"I found plans to assassinate George Washington on the body of Pitcairn."
I inhaled my apple and started to cough furiously. Connor gently patted my back before I regained my breath.
"You know that if Washington gets killed this war is over, right?" I asked.
Connor nodded. "I have to find out more. My next target is Thomas Hickey but I need to see if he knows anything about the assassination. Achilles has sent for a man named Benjamin Tallmadge, an ally who might be able to give me information."
My mind went to the scum bag next to Haytham, the one who couldn't keep his pants on. "Hickey needs to die, that's for sure." I took another bite. "If you need any information, I know someone who can get it for you."
Connor perked up at my offer. "Who?"
I pursed my lips and looked to the ground, refusing to speak and look at Connor.
Connor's voice grew stern. "Who, Piper?"
Connor would flip out if he figured out I had spoken to my father. The last few interactions with my family were unsavory to say the least and I knew Connor wouldn't take it well. I DID promise him that I wouldn't keep any secrets and it would be better to tell him now instead of him finding out later.
I scratched at my forehead before hesitatingly speaking. "My dad."

XXX

"You met your father?" Achilles asked.
Connor was furious, just as I had predicted. "The last time you met up with your family, you faked your death then got sent back two hundred years!"
I put my hands up to calm the Native. "Yes, I know, but my dad isn't crazy like the rest of my family, at least I don't think he is. He doesn't have any of the marks my siblings had and hasn't betrayed me or given me any reason not to trust him."
Connor opened his mouth to scream more but was cut off by the surprisingly calm Achilles."How did you meet him?"
I heard the bells of the Sicarious chime, telling me I only had a short time before we had to be off.
"Okay," I said. "Here's the short version: I got into contact with an information broker who supposedly knew what was going on with my family and could help me. I found the hideout and got in. Then some things happened and I figured out my father was the broker. I didn't trust him fully and its still very weird but I need you two to trust me on this one." Sighing, I chewed on my lip. "I know it's a lot to take in but trust me, I wouldn't be doing this is if it weren't for the right reasons. You understand that, right?"
I heard the door open and turned to see Anders standing in the doorway.
"Captain," Anders said after clearing his throat, "We've got a lead on a brig from your father. If we are to catch it we have to leave now."
I shook my head. "Dammit. Fine, I'll be down in a minute."
"You cannot leave," Connor argued.
Achilles looked at me, sadness evident in his eyes. "You can't stay any longer, can you?"
I shook my head. "I really wish I could stay, I do but..."
Achilles nodded. "Go. It's alright."
I hugged the old man tightly before turning to Connor. His arms were down to his sides and his eyes were averted from mine while his fists were clenched.
Despite his grumpy mood I had put him in, I walked to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. I closed my eyes as my fingers threaded through his hair.
Connor was surprised, to say the least, but he recovered and returned the hug. His strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me even closer. I felt him bury his head in my neck, which usually would bother me, but not now.
I don't know how to describe it. The hug - it just felt right. 'Feeling right' wasn't something that I was used to, either. But standing there in Connor's arms, it was something that I wished wouldn't end.
But all good things have to come to an end, don't they?

XXX

"No survivors," I commanded to my crew.
Taking down the brig was no easy task. My ship was on it's last leg when we finally got the brig incapacitated and boarded. They quickly surrendered after a short fight and every passenger was lined up on the deck.
"Piper!" I heard someone yell. "Wait a moment!"
I turned to see Fergus in the line up a few feet down from where I was standing. He was dressed up in the British soldier get up and I marched up to him, a glare across my face.
"What in the hell are you doing here, Fergus?!" I hissed as one by one, each of the men was getting shot.
"Remember how I said I used to be a mercenary? Well, the man who hired me asked me to assassinate this Captain but the only way to get to him was to get into the navy and kill him from his ship, got it?" Fergus quickly spoke. "Now, it seems like you've already killed the man so my job is done. Can you get me out before your crew kills me?"
I rolled my eyes and unsheathed my sword before cutting his bounds. "Make one wrong move, I will strand you on an island in the middle of the Atlantic, understood?"
"C'mon, Piper," Fergus said rubbing his wrists. "Don't you believe me?"
"No," I answered flatly pairing it with a glare. "I suggest you get over to my ship before I change my mind, finding you here doesn't exactly help your case. Anders, get this man a bunk! Show him around the ship and get him a job."
Anders nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
"Wait, I'm working for you now?" the Scottish man asked.
"Yes," I said. "You owe me, I could've just got you killed."
Fergus frowned but nodded. "Fine."
I turned and yelled to my crew. "Set out charges and blow this place sky high!"
"Aye, aye!"

XXX

I took Fergus with me to meet with my father again. It had been about a year since I had found my father and he asked to meet up again, saying it was urgent. In his letter he mentioned something about Connor and I needed to figure out what the problem was.
I talked to Fergus about the relationship between my father and I. It had been almost exactly a year since I met father and it was still a bit awkward.
"I'll do the talking and I'll you need to do is sit down and shut up," I explained. "Just make sure you don't piss any of the guards."
Fergus nodded and scratched his thin beard. "I'll try."
I took a deep breath before walking up to the main gate. The guards stepped aside after seeing who I was. The door swung open to reveal my father and a few of his workers surrounding him at the table in the middle of the room. A few lanterns were lit along with the fireplace directly behind the table. A few chairs along with other tables were set up around the room. It seemed like there had been a huge meeting here just a few minutes ago, half eaten food still sitting on the tables waiting to be picked up.
My dad quickly dismissed his workers and turned his attention to me. "I've got some information on the Native you asked me to keep an eye on."
I nodded and motioned Fergus to sit down. "That's what you said in the letter. 'It's too sensitive to write' you said. What's wrong?"
My father sifted through some papers on his desk before handing me a paper with a list of names on it. "Some of my contacts told me that the Templar Thomas Hickey was seen being chased by a man in a white hood, your Native man, earlier this week. The two men were caught and sent to Bridewell Prison."
"What?!" I screamed.
My father pressed his hands to the desk. "It isn't the worst of it. Connor is going to be hung, accused of the assassination plot against George Washington." My father pointed to the piece of paper in my hands. "That is the list of workers I had stationed at the prison. You are bound to meet up with one while you are there."
I couldn't hear any more about it and turned to walk outside. I put my hand on the door and turned to Fergus. "Get back to the ship and get the crew. Get the the prison as soon as possible."
"Where are you going?" Fergus asked worriedly.
"To get Connor out of there."