Author's Note: I do apologize for mixing up the dates to and fro, I've fixed those mistakes! Once again, I haven't read the comic at all but just going along with what I saw in the movie! I hope I'm doing a good job for you guys, please leave a comment and let me know!

Also, I want to show the dynamic Eleanor has with the group in this chapter, and I promise more action will come soon!

Modern Day

Paris, France

The others stood back in utter silence in the living room as I was grabbing the things I needed in my apartment, sporting a still tingling arm that was severely broken 30 minutes, before, a massive headache from a head injury, and a bad case of vertigo and panic from seeing a symbol that shook me to my core and made me almost go insane in agony. Needless to say, it was complicated.

We dumped the body in the river, not before taking pictures of the body and sending the pictures to Copley.

He was working on those pictures and what he could make of them since something was very off with this whole ordeal. I was singled out, in my own apartment, by one singular person who wanted me dead. I kept thinking backward, retracing my steps in all of those mini solo missions I had alone and if I made any enemies. I knew I didn't because I left no trace behind me at all in anything I did. None of this made sense.

It was the Swastika that got me.

My bed already had my backpack on its surface, stuffed with some extra clothes and a few trinkets here and there. It left me to pack up my weapons in their traveling packs that I used to disguise them. I had my bow and arrow, keeping it in top condition all of these years, a few guns and knives, and my three crossbows.

One of them was from the 18th century, an ancient weapon that I confiscated when we were protecting a town from a pirate invasion, a second one that was a bit smaller from out in the East Andy brought to me as a gift, and the third was from Desert Storm. It was my favorite one.

My head was still reeling and my heart rate was up tenfold, and it was making me angry how all of this was revolving around me. It was the last thing I wanted to do when I reunited with the others, and now it was happening again. The period might have been different, but I was the same: harm on my friends because of me was downright disgraceful in my eyes.

"Eleanor," Andy said softly, though I shrugged her off and was packing one crossbow carefully in the long thick trunk I had it in. I heard her sigh softly as she walked over to stand by my bed and look at me carefully, yet I avoided her gaze.

"Eleanor you need to stop and take a breath," She tried again, but this time I scoffed at her.

"Since when do you let me take a breath?" I asked shortly as I moved into the closet to get my second crossbow going in its trunk, hoisting it on the bed and getting it packed up tightly.

"Since you were always the one to tell me to take a breath in the past," She replied, her voice still even and smooth. I finally stopped, placing my hands on the trunk itself and closing my eyes, taking a massively deep breath and feeling my lungs rattle against my ribs because of how much I took in.

"He singled me out," I said slowly in the room, my voice low and dry, "He fired at none of you, just me. Right in the throat point-blank,"

"We saw all of it," Andy agreed, still staying calm.

"I have no enemies, nor did I leave anything behind to track me here," I said, shaking my head slowly in denial.

"You never do leave anything behind, we're now doubting you on that," She reassured me, "You're that best at covering our tracks to keep us from danger," I heard her pause, maybe then thinking to herself on what she was going to say to me next. I opened my eyes slowly at her and seeing her watch me as if we both already knew what I was thinking about and she wanted me to say it first.

"You saw what was on his chest then, Andy?" I asked her carefully my voice wanting to scream but I had to keep it leveled because of who I was talking to. I had more respect for her because she was our leader, she saw more things than the rest of us combined, and she knew how this life worked in strategy.

"I did," She replied softly, seeing how I was so close to anger.

"So you know why this…that Swastika...that it's making me so angry and….scared….and confused. I can't do that again, not since it's still so fresh for me," I said as I was taking in deep breaths to calm myself down. She nodded, her face was solemn enough to show that she wasn't going to push me in a place that was going to get me angry. I knew she was there too when this all happened before, she had a glimpse of what I was feeling. I had to remember that.

"Copley is going to get to the bottom of this," She reassured me though I shook my head and looked away from her to not scoff in her face since I respected her too much, "This had not happened to us before, yes. But this also hasn't stopped us before either,"

"But if I'm going to be the only target…I can't let you—" I said to her, seeing her shake her head instantly and place her hand on mine that was still clutching my equipment in a death grip. I looked back at her, seeing that her face was stern. the look of a leader as she was staring me down.

"We are not going to let you be alone in this," She reminded me with now her low tone of voice, it wasn't threatening but it was authoritative none the less, "What happened to you in the past is in the past, and it will not be a repeat. I won't allow it, nor will Nile, or Joe and Nicky for that matter,"

I had to believe her, I had to. This time around it was different, a new playing field and a new set of rules. I felt smarter than before, the others must have too. We change like chameleons over the decades as the world kept turning. Though we were still in time, we had to adapt not just to survive but to help as well.

I was still holding out in that grudge of hate and fury from my own personal demise and heartache, but maybe coming back to the group was a tall tell sign of me needing to no longer be alone or self-reliant on a lot of things.

"I know I'm not good at being sentimental," Andy started, having me give her a look and almost snort from the though of her confession to her mannerisms.

"That's the understatement of the century," I commented, seeing her smile at me.

"But I do want you back with us. Both of the boys have missed you greatly, especially Nicky. When Booker was with us, he missed his French Ally. Nile can learn a great deal from you when it comes to a fight. But….ah fuck it….I've missed you too," She confessed, shifting a bit awkwardly as she patted my hand with hers. It was rare to her Andy this like, her emotions coming over her way of thinking. I've only seen that once with her, back when we met and she was always on her guard. Her past was just as brutal and being with us gave her the same relief to the pains she was carrying too. I looked over at the direction of the living room, thinking of the other three that were there and talking to each other.

"If this has anything to do with me, and me alone, I don't want you all to be a part of it and get hurt by it," I reminded her, wanting that to be very clear in this conversation and what was going to unfold next. Most of the time that was a hard request since we were a group that did everything together and helped each other like we were one being.

Andy gave me a cocked look with her eyebrow raised high, "Well, I don't know how you're going to explain that to them out there, Eleanor,"

"Don't remind me," I grumbled, seeing her give me one last small smile She placed her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it.

"You have us, okay?" She asked as a reminder. I nodded.

"Thanks, boss," I thanked her. She nodded back grabbing one trunk and then my backpack as I was getting my last trunk ready for my smaller crossbow taking apart in pieces. It was feeling a bit better about it because of my talk with Andy, but it wasn't all the way healed. I had a lot to think about and process if this was going to be worse than it was.

Finally, I walked out into the living room with my two crossbow trunk and, seeing the four of them talking together and then looking at me once I made my presence known. I gave them a small smile as the other three were watching me, almost in worry and in remorse from what happened.

"You gonna be okay?" Nile asked me, having me nod at her. I felt bad for her, seeing me like this and she was still fresh in this life we all lived in for hundreds of years, if not a millennium. She was part of this group now and was trying to help, bless her. I liked her.

"I'll be alright, thanks Nile," I reassured her. Joe and Nicky were looking at me carefully, seeing that I was still trying to remind calm in front of Nile since she didn't know what clearly happened in the past. But they knew, and they were there to see how I reacted then. Was I going to react the same way now?

"Let's get back to Venice and go from there," Andy said to the group, trying to get us moving. Both Joe and Nicky reluctantly moved their gaze from me and over to Andy, who in return gave them a look. She was silently warning them not to press me, not right now. I had to give her credit: She knew how to speak with her eyes and she knew they would listen. They started to move out to the front door when I stopped suddenly.

"Wait, I forgot something!" I said, the others watching as I walked over to a particular spot on the living room floor, remembering something that I buried away with realizing it. Joe's foot was right on top of it, having me chuckle as I walked up to him, "Pardon me,"

He looked at me with a puzzled gaze, then moving over near Nicky as I reared my heel up high. I slammed it down on the floorboard, hearing it crack and snap in two pieces, falling to a hole underneath the floorboard. Placing the two trunks down and kneeling, I moved my hand down into the hole, the others were watching in interest as I was moving my hand around, knowing what I was looking for.

Finally, I swiftly pulled up what seemed to be a wrapped parcel the size of a small knapsack, covered in dust a soil from being underneath the floorboard for so long. I pulled it out carefully with both hands, grinning as I held it in my hands before looking at Andy and the others.

"I have a collection going and I can't bear to part with it," I explained, getting up from my knees and walking it over to the backpack Andy was holding. Joe grabbed my two tanks of crossbows as I was lacing my parcel inside with the backpack with ease and zipping it up. I then was throwing it on over my shoulders before I looked back at the apartment that I used for years. I knew I wasn't going to be coming back here, having me kiss my fingers and placed it on the door frame over the front door.

"Bénis cet endroit," I said in a low tone as we were walking the door.

"Amen," Nicky said in agreement.

Venice, Italy

3 Days Later

"What did you have to get?"

"You want to see?"

"If that's alright,"

"Of course, come," Nile and I walked into the sitting room as I placed the parcel on the coffee table. It was nice to be out of France and get back to the Venice air again, and away from all that happened back there. As much as I wanted to still be afraid of what was going to happen, knowing that someone was out for me alone, I had tried not to show it in front of the others so much. Especially Nile, who was still learning her way around this new life, and that last thing I wanted her to see was the fear that I lived with. Since we left France, not one spoke it since and decided to have Copley deal with it. That was fine with me, I wanted to focus on being here with my found family. I was winding down little by little, and the others picked up the signal not to mention it again until Copley got back to us.

Andy volunteered to go get us some groceries that early morning, just to stretch out her legs. I needed to be in a good headspace with the others, it felt much needed on my end. Nicky was making us all coffee and Joe was going through one of his sketchbooks, currently working on a sketch of the canals just outside the apartment, reclined in a loveseat with one leg over the armrest and the other on the ground.

Nile was sitting next to me as I carefully unfolded the top of the parcel so carefully.

"This parcel has been around since the 1700s," I explained, making sure nothing was going to rip off, "It's good for storage and preservation. Plus, I love the texture," Nile even carefully touched the edge of it, having me see her smile slightly as I finally moved the corners down to show that was inside. It was a neat pile, my very closed prized possession placed precisely and strategically to not topple or fall. There were at least ten things there, but they were from all over and from different moments in time.

"Wow," Nile said in amazement as she looked at me, "Can I?"

"Please," I said kindly, seeing her gently grab the first thing on the top of the pile. It was a jewelry box that could fit in the palm of her hand, amethyst quartz on the top shaped to look like a reclined lion with gold trimming and a small emerald gem at the opening of the box itself.

"I found this in Russia, a snuffbox for decoration and storage. Apparently, this particular snuffbox used to belong to Catherine the Great," I explained, seeing Nile look at me in shock as she pointed at the object in her hand. Joe's head looked over in our direction as he could hear our conversation with a small smirk on his lips.

"You met her?" She asked, hoping that I would say yes. But I shook my head in a light chuckle,

"I wish. Someone swiped it from her palace and gave it to me as a gift for me helping them stop an upcoming attack on their village," I explained as she carefully placed the trinket on the coffee table and looked at some more pieces that were in the pile itself. A lot of what was there were good memories, having me grin a bit as we were going through each piece, one by one. I knew it was hard to hold onto things with how we were immortal, but I had only a few things I would take with me until I knew I was going to die. These things, though they might seem small to others in the grand scheme of things, were timeless to me and meant more to me.

"Wait…" Nile said in a gasp, Nicky was walking over to us with coffee cups in his hands just in time to see Nile holding up a very dusty 7-inch vinyl in its cover and protector. Joe perched up from his sprawled spot on the love seat and place his sketchbook down to look as well. I merely sat still and watch how Nile blew off the dust and looked at the cover.

"The Beatles?" She asked, looking at me with confusion. I didn't say anything just yet as both Nicky and Joe now walked over, standing behind the couch to look over our shoulders too. They didn't get it yet, and I folded my hands in my lap to watch them carefully, "Don't tell me you met them too,"

"Perhaps," I replied calmly as Nicky handed me my coffee and was still looking at vinyl himself with confusion on his face.

"You met all of them?" He asked, looking at me as I took a small drink from the coffee.

"No," I replied, "Just Paul McCartney. I ran into him at the park in London when he was having a smoke and we had a chat,"

"A chat…okay..." Joe said unconvinced, sounding sarcastic about it.

"Just a chat," I reassured in a chuckle, "He was telling me about a song he wanted to write, wanting to watch people coming and going in the park we were in. We talked about life..loneliness, and I guess….I helped him out a bit," The others were looking at me now as I was then carefully and without saying another word pointed to the title of the song there along the top of the cover.

Within three seconds, all three of them realized.

"You're….Eleanor Ridgy?" Nile asked slowly, trying to wrap her head around it. I only grinned, taking another sip of coffee. She looked beyond shocked as Nicky carefully took the vinyl from her hands to look himself and Joe next to him, "The actual Eleanor Rigby?!"

"You make it sound like it would be impossible," I voiced to her, seeing her open and close her mouth liked a gapped fish. I had to snicker as both Joe and Nicky were giving me funny looks. I rolled my eyes and pointed at Nicky in particular, "You can't be as shocked since you were practically one of the muses to Michaelangelo's David,"

"WHAT?!" Nile said in shock as she whirled around in her seat to stare at Nicky. Nicky then gave me a death glare as I knew I placed him now on the spotlight, I threw up my hand in defense as I drank another sip. Nicky was never upfront about these kinds of things and was more prone to being secluded and why with his own personal triumphs and pitfalls.

"Ti odio," he grumbled at me as I giggled and Joe planted a kiss on his cheek to ease his anger off.

"Bugiardo," Joe said to him as Nile was still reeling with all of this new information.

"Let me get this straight: You were a muse for David," She said to Nicky and then pointed to me, "And you inspired Eleanor Rigby?"

All three of us looked at each other as Nile was waiting for an answer, having me see Nicky finally give in a sigh as he hid his face in his hand almost in embarrassment. Joe took the vinyl from Nicky's hand as he was chucking from how Nicky was blushing red.

"It is something I'm not proud of," He said in a mumble against his hand that was shielding his face from us.

"Why not, my love," Joe crooned in his ear as he pinched Nicky's side with a wicked grin on his face, "The sincerest form of flattery is through art, make no mistake. He saw a beauty in you that's a mere fraction of what I see, and he wanted to show it to the world. Although, I get to see it every day and night. Lucky me,"

Nicky merely blushed and pushed Joe away playfully as he then walked to get the last two cups of coffee. Nile then looking back at me as Joe handed me the vinyl.

"This was one of the very first copies of the record when it came out," I explained, grinning from remembering all that time ago, "I only played it a few times, never wanting to scratch it."

It was a simpler moment then, almost a still moment in time to make me remember what it was like then. The lyrics of the song filling my head and having me remember what I talked about on that bench and what it meant to me. Who knew it would turn int a mellow dramatic song, with more emotion behind it.

I almost felt bitter about it then, really remembering that I was alone at that time with no one to lean on or talk to. It was hard at that time because it felt like I needed the others more than I wanted to admit, but my choice overruled my feelings. I felt l was lost in my mind, making me feel bitter and guilty all over.

Joe placed his hand on my shoulder, having em blink rapidly once more and look up at me. He was watching me zone out, a soft smile on his face. I felt bad, showing this in front of the others and mostly Nile. She too was quiet about it, maybe seeing that my mind was going to a dark place.

"Let's go for a walk, you and I. Yes?" He asked. I numbly nodded my head, placing the vinyl carefully down on the coffee table. Nicky, over in the kitchen, was looking at me in worry and almost a hurt manner as I was going to walk with Joe and not with him. I got up, seeing Nile stay still next to the coffee table, almost looking a bit bad that I was going through a funk in front of her, and before I was able to walk away from her, she cleared her throat.

"I…um….thanks for showing me this," She said, gesturing to the objects on the table. I gave her a kind smile.

"Of course," I said to her as Joe was grabbing his sketchbook and pencil before walked over to give Nicky a goodbye kiss, whispering to him under his breath and Nicky nodding his head reluctantly. It was good to show a bit of my past to someone like Nile, who was beyond curious as to what it was like to live so long and yet seem to have it all together. She was just at the very tip in this new life, hundreds of years in front of her waiting to be explored and used. I wondered what she was going to be like.

"I'm honored to have shown you,"

"Nicky's worried about you," Joe explained as we were walking together, side by side down one of the more secluded streets in Venice. The sun was high above us, though it was not as hot as it was before, with locals going to and from shops and restaurants and a band playing softly in the distance on the corner. It was good to just breathe and get out of the safe house.

"He has been since we got back from Paris," Joe went on, "He was telling me about it last night. Nicky didn't know how to help you then, and it made him worry all the more,"

"He always worries about me," I countered, "For about 600 years he's always acting as if I was going to burst into a thousand pieces, even after I would slaughter a league of men, even a battalion too," Joe had to chuckle as he smirked at me.

"That's not true," He reasoned while I shrugged my shoulders.

"He's know how I work," I added, rubbing the back of my neck to get the tension out of it.

"True, but he reads you more than Andy and I could," Joe explained some more as we were passing by a busy shop that was selling chocolates and sweets, the aroma making my stomach grumble in hunger, "He's always been that way with you, ever since we all came together."

"And not you?" I asked as I looked over at him. His tan face in the warm sunlight brought out the unique coloring in his hair and beard, his dark eyes seemed to glisten from the light as he gave a soft sound of a hum.

"I was too, I admit it," he agreed, "But…you know now Nicky is. It's in his nature, and you two have such a bond that I don't even have with you. It happens when you travel together for so long with someone. Trust me, I know how he thinks when it comes to others,"

"I know," I mumbled, feeling a bit bad on how I was treating the others and how this was all mentally draining me. Joe could see it on my face as he tucked his arm around my waist and had me lean against him as we walked together in unison.

"We can feel what you're feeling," Joe said to me calmly as we were walking in an embrace, "There is no shame in that. Think of it as the way we dream of each other when we're apart: it's a link. Perhaps it's how it is being Immortal together: feeling each other's feelings in times of stress and pain. Remember the time when Andy was having a hard time adjusting without Guynh, back when we were in the Caribbean? We all felt it and gave her space and time,"

"I remember," I answered simply. That was a moment in time I would take in place of Andy to have her no longer feel that guilt.

"The other time when I broke down after our time in Egypt," Joe said calmly, having me look up at him as he was giving me a kind look in his eyes, "You all were there for me," I remembered then too, back in 1799 and we were aiding in the Battle of Mount Tabor. Joe was so drained from all that happened and he was shielding himself away from all of us when we tried to help him. Nicky coaxed him back to us, and all Andy and I could do was then wait and be patient.

I knew now what Joe was talking about, having me sigh and shake my head at my own stupidity.

"I'm a fool," I said simply. Joe smiled and planted a kiss in my hair lovingly.

"Ah, I've known fools and have been around fools. You are far from a fool," he reassured me as he rubbed my arm with his hand that was around my waist, "You are simply trying to come back from something that shook you at your core. We've all been here, Eleanor, and we've picked each other back up again every time, right?"

"Yes," I answered simply, knowing where he was coming from with this. I loved these talks with Joe, they were already both calming and yet intense at the same time. He always had words of wisdom for me when I needed them. He knew how to use his words with ease like he was poetic. I wondered if he was in some past life, no wonder Nicky fell head over heels in love with him.

"Is it possible for me to ask you nicely to talk to Nicky when we get back?" Joe asked, trying to use his sweet voice against me since he knew he could win me over with him. I had to smirk, knowing that Joe would always think of Nicky's well-being before his own, "You know it's killing him to see you like this and not know what to do,"

"He feels that way?" I asked sheepishly, feeling worse as Joe rubbed my arm again when we turned another corner, seeing a coffee shop at the very end of the street that we both were aiming to go towards.

"If I know the love of my life, it's this: His core nature is to nurture and build others up, Eleanor. Don't fret about it," Joe said softly as we were about to get inside the coffee house, "Just talk to him. He wants it more than you realize."

I nodded in agreement, trying to think of a way to talk to him that would be best. We both were looking into the deserted coffee shop and I was raising an eyebrow at Joe, pointing in with my finger.

"Has his favorite coffee drink changed since I was with you guys?"

Nicky was perched at the patio outside, basking in the sun as he was reading a thick book that was on the patio table. He was hunched over, both elbows on the table and one of his fingers running through his hair as his eyes scanned every word with ease. I walked up to him quietly placing two items in front of him as he looked up from his passage at me. I gave him a warm smile as I pointed to the two items: A brown paper bag and a coffee cup.

"Sfogliatella," I explained calmly as I took out the two morsels that I got for him from the paper bag, placing them on a napkin and in front of his book. His eyes followed my movement as I then pointed to the coffee cup.

"Macchiato," I said as he reached over to the cup, holding it in his hand as he then gave me inquisitive look. I smoothly sat down across from him and folded my own hands in my lap as I eyed him, seeing the kind sincere look in his eyes in how he seemed both confused as to why I was doing this and intrigued at the same time.

"Look," I started, looking over at Joe briefly. He was inside, sitting with Nile on the couch and giving me a silent thumbs up to encourage me to go on. I looked back at Nicky and took in a shaky breath.

"I've been trying to get through this roadblock inside myself for some time, after what happened to me then. And it's not fair that I pushed you out in trying to help me when you've helped me so much in the past that I can't count. Think of this, your favorites if I'm not mistaken, as a peace offering of sorts…to show you that I want you to help me,"

Nicky said nothing for a few moments as I was staring at him, feeling silly for that kind of a speech to some out to me. But I needed him to know that I did care that he was there, watching out for me in moments that I couldn't see him, It pained me that I made him worry for fear for me, even after 600 years of being together it never got old. Nicky never got old of me.

Nicky then got up carefully, walking around the patio table and sitting down right next to me, his eyes were light in the sun and so kind to me as he faced me fully.

"I only worry because I care for you deeply," he explained, his hand on my arm as I watched him, "I can't help but worry and care for you since I know how deep within yourself you get when you feel troubled. We all have our times when we fall, and this time…it felt as if I didn't know what to do to make it better for you,"

"Just being close by does help, trust me," I reassured him, "I'm sorry for making you feel like that, and pushing you away when I needed you and the others. I've been away for too long and I didn't have anyone to look after me and to lean on when I needed it," I could tell what I said affected Nicky, his face going from soft to serious.

"You have all of us now," Nicky reminded me with his stern look within his eyes, scanning my eyes intently as he then pointed to himself, "Especially me. You'll always have me, Eleanor. Always, okay?"

Ever since we met so long, no matter how hard I wanted to push away from Joe and Nicky, they always came back for me to lean. It was a hard world to grow in, all the traveling and navigating, the countless times we were killed and stayed at each other's side to watch each other come back to life, it took its toll. This life was meant not to the faint-hearted, and I was reminded at that time. Even now, well late in my life as an Immortal, even the oldest or the wisest just needed someone close by to watch and help them.

"Okay," I replied, Nicky leaned over to hug me. I sighed against his hug, my head on his shoulder, and my arms around him gently. It was nice, feeling how secure his hold was on me. Once again, I was breathed out so slowly and surely in just one hug from him, The tension was melting away.

"Nicky, how is it your hugs alone can make someone feel so….complete." I had to ask since it was always one of those mysteries that we all had about Nicky. It was almost like a hidden power he had, none of us could compete with his hugs.

Nicky chuckled, having me feeling it through my body as he squeezed it a bit tighter, "It's a God-given gift."

"Oh," I said in a light tone, pulling away and pointing behind us in the direction fo Nile and Joe, "Is that what Joe says?" Nicky looked back, seeing Joe showing his sketches to Nile on the couch of the sitting room.

"He says that and many other things about me," Nicky said to me as he then pointed to the treats I got him, "Share this with me, and we can catch up a bit more, yes? I wanna hear more about this talk with Paul McCartney and the song he wrote,"

"Of course," I said to him, leaning back in the chair as Nicky grabbed his drink and took a long sip. We both chatted under the warm Italian sun, the sense of fear was temporarily away from me now as I was reminiscing in some memories with my old friend. Maybe this time it won't be so bad when these guys were close by with me.

French Translation:

Bénis cet endroit = Bless this place

Italian Translation:

Ti odio = I hate you

Bugiardo = Liar