"Make it stop…"

Ezio hummed and glanced at the cot beside his, chuckling at Kagome's misery as the ship lurched and thunder rumbled beyond the wall. "Non sei una donna marinara, vero uccellino?"

"I don't know what you said, but I know you're enjoying this." She shoved to sit up and brace her back against the wall, eyes finding the small window in time to watch the lightning streak through the sky as she swung her legs over the side of her small bed. Groaning, she screwed her eyes shut as her knuckles turned white against the blanket, willing her stomach to stop rolling and protesting her movements.

"Sdraiati, stai diventando verde come gli alberi di Firenze," Ezio was on his feet in an instant, hands gently pushing against her shoulders.

Kagome swatted at his hands as she shot to her feet, shoving him back with a grimace and a glare, "don't touch me like that again."

Ezio blew the breath out from his nose, it was meant to calm him but it was surprising him how much he wanted to shove her back. He knew this was a mistake, agreeing to take her under his wing for training from the silver haired man but he had promised it would be worth his while and she would benefit in the war against the Templars during her stay with him. He hadn't questioned it then, but now it lingered at the front of his mind.

"Attento uccellino, quel tuo fuoco ti metterà nei guai," his eyes swept over her body not for the first time and lingered on her bare legs, not for the first time wondering about her strange garments. He had thought it because she was his courtesan before she proved him wrong, she didn't like the attentions the males at the docks and on the ship had given to her.

Ezio stepped back and turned for the door, two weeks cooped up in the small cabin with the woman was starting to get to him and they still had a week before they arrived in Venice. "Vedrò se posso procurarti qualcosa per il tuo stomaco, torno tra un momento."

Kagome whirled for her bed and grabbed her pillow before tossing it at the wooden barrier, closing her eyes with a huff as the ship rocked. "Pain in the ass," falling back to her cot, she swung her legs up and crossed them at her ankles as she stared at the ceiling. Her mind wandered in time with the thunder, eyes drifting shut as the door opened. If she pretended to be resting maybe that would get him to leave her alone, so far he hadn't taught her a thing and she wondered if it was just a ruse to get her out of the way.

The continued silence through the cabin even after he shut the door had her opening her eyes, she needed to apologize for her outburst anyway… "I know you're being quiet because you're ma…d…"

Crooked teeth showed behind pulled back lips, stalking forward as she climbed to her feet. His hands fumbled with the drawstring of his pants, rushed words that wasn't any language she could place tumbling from his lips before he sprung forward.

Kagome scrambled back out of his reach, pressing against the wall as the ship lurched and sent her falling over herself to the side. 'That son of a bit—' her thought was halted as the man grabbed her ankle, kicking at him to dislodge his grip.

She had been wanting to think Ezio different, that in the two weeks with him maybe everything would be alright and she had nothing to worry about. "Get off," she growled and slapped at his face, satisfaction welling in her chest at the pained hiss that came from her assailant.

"Sono riuscito a portarti dei biscotti, probabilmente sono stantii ma meglio di ..."

Kagome blinked as the male over her was gone, scrambling to sit up as her eyes widened at the blade that seemed to come from Ezio's body pressed against his throat.

"Ti ha toccato?" the Italian's eyes slid to Kagome at the question, repeating it harshly when all she could do was blink at him.

Ezio turned back to the cowering man he had pressed against the wall, pressing the tip of his blade into his skin as he leaned in closer, "se dovessi guardare di nuovo nella direzione di questa donna, ti farò desiderare di averti ucciso, mi capisci?"

Wild nodding was his answer, lowering his blade and shoving him through the open door with a scowl before slamming it behind him. His chin dropped to his chest, eyeing the few biscuits he had managed to scrounge up from the galley and keep dry on his way back before glancing at the water dripping from his hands.

"Grazie."

The soft word had him turning, running his fingers through his soaked hair as he arched a brow.

Kagome cleared her throat and dropped her eyes as her face heated up, had she said it wrong? She was sure that was the word he said when they boarded to the Italian captain, maybe it didn't mean what she thought it did.

"Um… sorry I'm not, I don't think I used it right." She bit her lip and dug her fingers through her hair, "thanks um… thanks for—"

"Prego."

Kagome's eyes flicked up to his face, smiling wide before dragging the blanket over her legs and bending her knees as she shoved her back against the wall. So she had said it right…

Ezio ducked out of the strap holding his cape over his shoulder and laid it flat across the floor to dry before standing to his full height to unbuckle his belt. His outer robes slid off his shoulders, leaving him in his undershirt as he made his way to his cot and sat, folding over himself and bracing his elbow on his knees, "ti ha toccato?" he pointed through the door to indicate the man that had been thrown out and reached forward to gently brush his fingers against Kagome's hand.

Hazel eyes stared at the bracer over his sleeve as she attempted to make sense of his question before glancing up and shaking her head negatively, "you stopped him."

Ezio nodded and pulled his hand back to drape it over his knee, "la nostra prima tappa a Venezia sarà quella di procurarti dei nuovi vestiti, uccellino."

Present

Dick kicked the barstool from under the island in the kitchen, angling his body carefully to allow Kagome easier access to the seat. "Okay, let me grab you something to eat and I'll—"

"That's really not necessary, you're already helping a lot more than you should be." Kagome's eyes widened as she stressed the word, waving off his offer and shifting on the stool, "really."

"I insist, it's the least I can do for spraining your ankle."

He sidestepped a corner of the counter without looking and turned forward, opening the pantry and glancing around at the options in front of him. 'Jason,' he snorted at the single post-it across the bag of chips and tugged it free before pressing the glue onto the door. Reaching back inside he grabbed the bag and turned, kicking the door shut and striding back across the floor to set the bag in front of her with a smile.

"Let's get that foot up," he pulled the neighboring stool closer and pat the seat, nodding happily when she complied reluctantly to lift her foot, "alright, got you a snack while you wait; now I'm going to get Alfred and we'll get that ankle looked at."

Kagome grabbed the bag of chips and lifted it slightly off the counter before setting it back to the smooth surface, eyes shooting to Dick's retreating back and back down to the bag. She hadn't expected him to be so welcoming when he loaded her into his car in the precinct parking lot, let alone when he brought her here.

"What are you doing here?"

Her blood ran as cold as the voice behind the question, turning her head sharply to the shorter person beside her table before allowing a smile to grace her face, "good to see you too Damian."

Damian's eyes flicked over her face coldly, dropping his arm from around Titus' neck to cross his arms. The dog sniffed the air and padded forward, sniffing the priestesses leg before moving around to continue his examination. Damian frowned and arched his brow, his skilled eyes easily finding the discolored scar on her finger as Kagome scratched Titus behind his ear, "what are you doing here, Higurashi?"

"I got hurt, Officer Grayson brought me here and told me he'd get it fixed up for me," she pointed to her injured ankle as if to prove what she was saying.

"Officer Grayson," he scoffed and scowled harder, "seems highly convenient that you're here."

Kagome resisted the urge to roll her eyes and instead rolled her shoulders back to alleviate the tension in her body, "you don't seem too fond of me, Little al Ghul."

Damian's face contorted angrily at the ease the surname fell from her lips, "you can distinguish this from our only meeting, perhaps you're smarter than I gave you credit for."

"Whom have you been sent for?"

"Excuse me?" Kagome's eyes narrowed at the question, opening the mouth of the chips and digging one free. She hadn't anticipated running into the youngest of the al Ghul clan in Gotham of all places, he was just as cautious of her as he was the first time. "Why would that be the question you decide to ask me?"

"Grandfather told me the story of how he met Auditore and the protégé the Italian spoke of with such tenderness and fondness," Damian explained easily, the ghost of a smile pulling at his lips at the sharp intake of breath Kagome drew at the name. "Grandfather would have never spoken of you if you didn't didn't impress him somehow."

'Smart kid,' Kagome hummed as she chewed slowly and tilted her head. Shifting on her stool, she pulled out her folded money and tugged a $10 free, "why don't you see if someone in this huge house will take you to get an ice cream?" she smiled and held some money forward, "kids still love that don't they?"

Damian's eyes flicked from her face to the money, offense clearly etched over his young features as a sneer curled his lips, "I'm 10…"

"Sure," she nodded in agreement. The youth in front of her acted as if that was too old to enjoy the cold treat; releasing a soft breath, her fingers spread the folded corners of the bill apart as she held it closer, "then maybe you should get two."

"After you answer my question."

Kagome forced a laugh and dropped her head, staring into the brown eyes of the dog at her side and moving to rub the top of his head. She could tell him about her brother, but she didn't know the youngest al Ghul enough to trust him with that information… Ra's had told her how he was raised during his only visit, pride evident in his every word about the youth. "I'm working at the Iceberg Lounge."

"You should reconsider, because if it turns out you are the Assassin… I'd hate to have something happen to you…"

Kagome tilted her head in amusement, "are you threatening me?"

"Yes."

"Cute," she purred, watching him bristle in indignation at the term, "just because I wear the mark of the Brotherhood doesn't mean I don their hoods."

Damian's eyes narrowed as he regarded her carefully, "you should hope not Higurashi, you'll find the Templars were a better advisory than I."

"Anyone ever tell you that you speak like an old man?"

Damian pursed his lips before blowing a low whistle, reaching up to rub Titus across the top of his head, "I will be keeping my eyes on you."

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," Kagome flipped her wrist and brought his attention back to the money in her hand, bracing her elbow against the countertop. "Why don't you go and get that ice cream?"

The dark-haired boy reached forward and took the money, giving a final glare and turning on his heel with Titus close behind.

A slow smile drifted across Kagome's face, turning back to the bag of chips and digging one free. Clearly, she hadn't thought Dr. Elliott's offer through enough, 'or you should have just done a quick web search of this place and the people in it.'

"Souta'd like him," she reasoned softly as she dug for another chip. Hunching over the counter her eyes found the mark around her ring finger with a frown, she'd have to tread carefully, she knew Damian meant what he said just off what Ra's told her of his upbringing the only time she had met the man.

Footsteps coming from the entrance of the kitchen drew her from her thoughts, her head bowing slightly at the older man leading Dick back into the room with a first-aid kit clutched between his hands.

"Master Dick tells me you've got a hurt ankle," he settled the box to the counter and made his way around the stool holding her foot, "I'm Alfred, miss."

"Kagome," she smiled softly and shifted, "I'm sorry to put you out like this."

"No apology necessary, not from you at least. Master Dick, you didn't offer her some tea?" Alfred rounded on the younger man with a frown, "I know you were raised with better manners than that."

"Right, sorry I'll—"

"Very good then," Alfred moved back to the appendage in question, pulling the cuff of Kagome's jeans up and bending over the swollen area with a soft hum. "Does it hurt at the moment?"

"No," Kagome shook her head and tensed as his fingers brushed against her skin.

"Master Jason perfect timing, go and grab an ice pack."

Kagome glanced up as the man entered, the smell of cigarettes filling the room and clinging to him.

"What the hell's going on? We get another one?" Jason questioned gruffly, ruffling the top of his already messy hair before yawning as he trekked for the freezer. "Isn't Bruce getting a little ridiculous with that?"

"I'm sorry, Bruce…Wayne?" Kagome blinked hurriedly at the name and glanced around the occupants of the kitchen, she should have known a house like this belonged to the Bruce Wayne. "I should probably go."

"Not until I'm finished," Alfred chastised.

"One of you could have told me we had such a pretty house guest, I'd have kept my shirt off," Jason slid the ice pack across the counter and braced his arms against the top, a sly grin breaking over his face at the blush that spread across Kagome's nose.

"This is Miss Kagome Higurashi," Alfred straightened from bending over her ankle and straightened his coat, easily slipping into his role of butler, "Miss, this is Master Jason Todd."

Jason lifted his chin in greeting, shoving off from the counter and crossing around the large island to rest his hip against the side as he crossed his arms. "So… what's so wrong about being in Bruce Wayne's mansion?"

"We're just from different worlds," Kagome broke from her inner chastisement of falling prey to the man's flirtations so easily, giving him the first excuse that popped into her head. "Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined meeting someone like him, that's all."

She was satisfied with her answer, knee jerking as a hiss passed through her lips as Alfred turned foot slightly for a better view of the bruise that was forming as he reached for the ace bandage settled beside the first-aid kit. "Thanks," she took the offered cup and saucer from Dick as he chuckled at her answer.

"I think we all feel the same."

"Speak for yourself, Golden Boy."

Dick frowned as he and Jason continued their stare down, glancing away sharply and carrying the second tea cup he poured towards the door, "I'm going to see if Tim wants some before I have to head back to work, maybe he'll finally sleep."

Alfred gently pressed the clip fastener into the bandage and grabbed the ice pack to place it on her ankle, "there we are, nothing to it."

"You're good," she mused and tilted her head, "you do this often?"

"Well, Master Bruce was such a clumsy child," Alfred explained as he folded the lid closed over his medical kit, "it's a shame that it followed him into adulthood as well."

"Yeah a real shame," Jason snorted as he leaned forward to flick the bag of chips with a frown, "are these mine?"

"Officer Grayson—um… Dick gave them to me when he—"

Jason waved off her explanation as he strode for the door, leaving her looking on in surprise before turning her questioning look to Alfred. "I didn't think anything of it when he gave them to me, I'm sorr—"

"Don't fret miss, Master Jason has always had a bit of a temper and he and Master Dick were never close." Alfred smoothed his hands down the front of his suit jacket and lifted his head, "if you'll excuse me a moment, I will clean up in here and take you home."

"Thank you Mr. Alfred," she sipped her tea and inclined her head. The surprise in his eyes caught her off guard and made her question her words, just because she was a trained assassin didn't mean she had no manners.

"Just one moment," the surprise slipped away as easily as it came, leaving behind a soft smile.


"Will you be alright to make it?" Alfred held his hand out to Kagome as he pulled open the car door, surprising her with the strength in his hand as he helped her to her feet. His eyes shifted around the area uncomfortably, not the worst part of Gotham but far from anything safe, "are you certain this is your apartment?"

"Uh…" her eyes squinted as she glanced around before nodding in finality, "yeah, it looks familiar at least; I guess I'll know if my key doesn't work." She gave a dry laugh and nodded, why did the door have to be so far away? "Thank you again, for everything Mr. Alfred."

"You're quite welcome," Alfred retrieved her shoe and held it out, a giggle of embarrassment at her situation tumbling from Kagome's lips. Alfred swung the passenger door shut and resisted the urge to follow in his employer's footsteps and bring her back to the mansion, "have a good night then miss, I hope to see you again soon and don't forget to ice and elevate tonight."

Kagome waved and hobbled forward for the building, exhaling with every pained step to keep her mind from focusing on the pain too much. She hoped too that she'd see the kind butler again before she completed her job and left, the headlights from the car illuminating her back before fading and leaving her standing at the bottom of the stairs. 'Damn,' glancing down at her foot she gave a groan before hopping onto the first stair, hands gripping the rail to keep her steady as she began her slow ascent up the flight.

"Oh god," she shifted her hold on her shoe and tossed it up to the landing, she could grab it when she got there, 'if… I could very well go tumbling back down.'

Another hop had her tilting her head back with a huff, 'I can scale up walls but good god make me hop up stairs and I'm finished. Are you laughing at me, Ezio? All the training you put me through and this is what I'm struggling with…'

Non sei una donna marinara, vero uccellino?—You are no seafaring woman are you, little bird?

Sdraiati, stai diventando verde come gli alberi di Firenze—Lie back down, you're turning as green as the trees in Florence

Attento uccellino, quel tuo fuoco ti metterà nei guai—Careful little bird, that fire of yours is going to get you in trouble

Vedrò se posso procurarti qualcosa per il tuo stomaco, torno tra un momento—I'll see if I can get you something for your stomach, I'll be back in a moment

Sono riuscito a portarti dei biscotti, probabilmente sono stantii ma meglio di ...—I managed to bring you some biscuits, they're probably stale but better than…

Ti ha toccato?—Did he touch you?

Se dovessi guardare di nuovo nella direzione di questa donna, ti farò desiderare di averti ucciso, mi capisci?—Should you so much as look in this woman's direction again I will make you wish I had killed you, understand me?

la nostra prima tappa a Venezia sarà quella di procurarti dei nuovi vestiti, uccellino—our first stop in Venice will be to get you some new clothing, little bird