Author's Note: I'm wrapping up this part of the story and bringing back more action! I wanted to get the heaviness done in a certain manner before I jumped back into the action that I had planned for this story. Trust me, you're gonna see Eleanor in great fights very soon!

Thanks for the support!

1945

My feet were walking before I could even think, my hands were making fists so tight I felt blood coming through from where my fingernails pierced the skin.

My heart was breaking all over, and I wanted to was scream.

I could hear the others were following me, keeping their space as my other hand was holding a pistol. The thunder up in the sky was now deafening as all I wanted to do…all I wanted to feel…was pain. There was nothing else on my mind, just that one word that was filling all of the spaces and dents that were inflicted on me because of what happened. It seemed like yesterday, and I felt like I was drowning. But now this…now seeing it all on paper as if it was just another day at the office, it was worse.

My breathing was now erratic and almost having me heave with every breath I took. I was looking dead ahead, nothing else as it was ringing in my head on repeat. A hammer right on my brain and I could feel the levee about to break within me and shatter everything that I thought was right and safe was now shattered.

Finally, I stood in the middle of the grassy field, another roll of thunder coming through as I was looking out in the distance. I heard the others stopping behind me, they weren't close but I knew they were watching, and all I could do was just stand there still and close my eyes. This was a terrible dream….all I had to do was wake up….wake up and be back in that bunker.

"Eleanor…" Andy said behind me, having me hear her slowly walking over to me from behind and taking her time. Like I was a spooked animal, at this point maybe I was. I breathed out one breath, seeing the breath go up in the sky from the cold that was static in the air. All I could do in me to not scream was slowly slipping and about to crumble.

"I can't do it," I said in a low tone, knowing well that Andy could hear me as I was searching the sky desperately for some kind of sign that what I read in that paper was not true, all of it was a lie and this was just a sickness in my head, "I can't just…just make it seem like it didn't happen."

"That's not what we want you to do," Andy said to me, "I didn't mean to do that to you,"

I scoffed, a bitter laugh escaped me "You weren't the one who ripped into my flesh and broke every bone in my arms just to see what would happen," This cruel bitterness was coming through me like a wave on the shore, and I was letting it happen and be pushed onto the others when all they did was try to help me. But I needed to get it out, I had to get it out.

"You're right," Andy said, keeping her voice as level as she could, "What happened to you was wrong—"

I finally whirled around and stared her down, seeing the boys at least thirty feet back and their faces were showing remorse and shock from how I was reacting to Andy as I finally found my voice. The levee finally broke, the small once of holding it in was no longer there.

"HE FUCKING MADE ME STERILE!"

I screamed it so loud I could hear it echo into the open air. Thank God no one lived within 10 miles from us, a perfect place for us to hide away and not be seen or found. Although a flock of geese that were hidden in the high grass no too far away took to the sky from my outburst. It was piercing in the air, my voice was both threatening and broken at the same time.

Andy said nothing, I could see it on her face that I shocked her. Her face was a bit softer now from my outburst and the other behind her were just as shook from how I was reacting. I was no longer wondering what they were thinking and wanting a once of kindness from them. All I wanted to do was to have my pain finally released from me and my out of my body. I was thinking of myself, and I hated what I was thinking.

"Do you have any idea what that feels like?" I asked her, my voice was hoarse and low again, but my eyes were drilling into her that was just as vicious and heartbreaking, "I know that it's not in the cards for us and what we are, I made peace with that a long time ago, I did. But for someone to just…rip it away from me like it was a band-aid or a piece of paper…it's maddening! Like I was a fucking animal! I was in there for three days and all I could think about was that I wanted to die. I didn't want to be immortal anymore," It was an open wound that was exposed in the air, it was hurting me to just say it out loud to not just Andy for to the others and having them see me have a mental break down.

"I've been through torture and pain, so many deaths that I lost count," I breathed sharply as I was clutching the pistol in a death grip as I was now just venting into the void to whoever wanted to listen, "Those last three days….I wanted nothing more to just have one of the bullets just stay there in my brain and let me rot."

"Don't say that," Nico said, almost pleading since he could tell I was breaking and he too looked like he was going to be on the brink of tears from how I was acting. But something in me was switched off to react to Nico. I used to in the past, but it felt like a new leaf turned for me.

"What else do you want me to say, or feel, Nico?" I asked him, but the others were watching too. I was feeling so raw about all of this and how it was being unleashed on them, "You want me to just let it roll off my shoulder like all of the other missions we met on in the past? Like it was nothing? I can't switch it off! I don't know if I can anymore!" I started to pace, thinking that it would be a bit better for me. The others were so still, watching me as I was going back and forth like an animal about to strike. I was about it, at any moment from how all of this was unfolding.

"He asked me where you were…he pleaded me to tell him about you! Every time I was silent, he took a finger…every time I said no…he ripped my flesh off….every time! And now he finds the perfect punishment in robbing me of….of ever even having…." I had to stop and set out a sob, slamming my eyes for a moment, and letting more tears unleash within that moment. It was all coming to a head, finally as I was pushing out whatever was left inside of me:

"All I wanted to do was FUCKING DIE!"

I cocked the gun, looking away from them all finally and back out in the distance, holding the gun then against my head and wanting to pull the trigger. I wanted to, so bad just to etch out the pain and the memories that were forever engrained. It didn't matter how petty it seemed, how dramatic that I was contemplating suicide in front of the others.

Those three days were viler to me than any other battle, any other time I died, and any other heartbreak I endured. But no matter how hard I wanted to do it, something was still inside of me making me stop and freeze up. I pushed harder, grunting through it as I was still unable to pull it after a moment or so.

"FUCK!" I screamed, moving the gun in the air high and shooting it.

The sound echoed all over, more creatures were moving away as I sagged onto my knees and my arms feel at my sides. That outburst was enough to have me breathe out and simply…be. The anger was drained from me, all I could be was weak and drained.

The tears were no longer coming, but they stained my face and shirt as I was looking out at the sky, the last ring of thunder was so close it shook the trees and the sweet smell of rain was sweeping through with the upcoming wind. Maybe this was God telling me to be calm, though now I wasn't thinking of him. All I could think was now..incomplete I was.

"What can we do?" Andy asked, her voice almost sounding emotional from seeing me go through this. I said nothing for a moment, my breathing was once again slowed down as she spoke again, "Tell us what we can do to help you,"

I finally looked down, blinking once or twice before I got up on my feet slowly. I turned around to look at them all, seeing each of their faces. Andy was remorseful, her face was showing that she was feeling what I was feeling and yet she was trying to stay controlled. Joe looked beyond remorseful for me, the look on his face was painful since I used to his gentle and soothing smiles. Booker looked like he was in pain, so silent and stoic but the pain was on his face.

Nico was the worst.

There were evident tears about to go down his face as he was watching me with such sadness and mourning. I never thought I would even seem Nico in this kind of state because of me and what happened to me, and I did feel a bit of a flutter of remorse towards him since he too was somehow feeling what I was feeling.

I finally breathed out, locking eyes with Andy before opening my mouth.

Modern Day

Nile and I were quiet when I was done explaining what happened to me, and I was feeling a sudden wave of sadness there as I was re-hashing what happened out in that field. It was all out in the open now from what I told Nile, and although it was good to say all of it and feel that release, it was still painful.

That guilt I carried.

I had to look away from her thought, getting a few tears out of my eyes and my thoughts were going back to the grassy field all over again. It was a rough time, it was a raw time, and yet I treated the others like garbage at that moment. I pained me as I once again felt like I was back at that moment in time.

"You were in pain," Nile said to me from her spot, though I was still looking away from her and clutching my hands together, "You had every right to say what you said and how you felt,"

"But not to them," I said to her in a wavy tone, trying so hard not to cry, "They didn't deserve what I did to them,"

"Maybe," Nile agreed, "But they understood. You were with them for so long, did you think they would take that offensively?" I said nothing for a moment, finally looking over at Nile and seeing how she tilted her head at me. She was no longer crying as she did before, but I knew she was still feeling a bit raw from me telling her everything. In fact, she almost looked peaceful and having a kind look on her face.

"I've been around and experienced guilt before, being with other soldiers in the Marines made me have to learn how to lean on the others in my battalion to survive. It may not be the same thing as what you went through…cause I'll be honest….that's fucked up," Nile explained, sighing as she said it. I saw her somehow smile at me and out of the blue….I chuckled. It was a wet chuckle, but Nile was chuckling too. It felt like therapy, no longer have any more room to be sad or have the guilt, but just needing to laugh. How crazy and surreal that we were laughing about this, but then again it was much needed.

"It was, wasn't it?" I asked mid-chuckle, seeing her nod her head as I was getting the rest of my tears off of my face with my thumb. Our laughter was dying down again as she then leaned back a bit in her chair and gave me her kind look again.

"Look, I've only known you for a very short time, and the others for a few months. However, I can tell they wouldn't care about the guilt you were feeling, but they would care about you as a part of this family," Nile explained, "I wish I had something like that when I was back in the Marines,"

"You do now, though," I said to her, giving her a small smile, "This is a family….a dysfunctional one, but a family," It felt good to say it. Maybe I needed to say it after 80 years of being away from them and thinking it was the best thing to do to leave them behind. Perhaps it was, but at that moment it wasn't.

Nile finally got up from her chair and walked over to stand in front of me, having me look at her in confusion as she finally held out her arms.

"I'm a hugger by nature, it's very anti-Marine, and I can tell you need one. So deal with it and hug me," She said to me simply, having me chuckle again from how she was willing to hug me. I finally stood up and we hugged, my head against her shoulder and feeling how good fo a hug she was giving me.

We held it for some while, having me breathe her in and have a good sense of peace with her. I knew I barely met her, and yet I was seeing a side and a trait of her that we all had together in the Old Guard: Loyalty and protectiveness. It showed in what kind of woman she was, and even though she was still going through this new life in small strides, she was willing to adapt and learn. I was more reluctant when I met with Nicky and Joe so long ago, and yet she took to it like a fish to water.

"If I could, I would have kicked his ass for doing that to you," Nile said as we hugged each other, having me give a wet grin as I nodded my head against her shoulder.

"That's awfully sweet of you to say," I mumbled, hearing her laugh slightly as we finally pulled away and looked at each other. Of course, she was young, but not in comparison to me. But not only was it good to talk to someone about it and let it out, but it was good to let it out to her.

"I know it was a lot that unleashed on you, and I'm sorry—" I started to apologize to her, but she scoffed and gave me a small glare that meant nothing but friendliness.

"You think I really would see you differently?" She asked me, placing her arms gently back down and resting her hands on her hips, "Better to let it out than have it bottled up, another thing my grandmother would say, you know. I think what you went through, as fuck as it was, made you ten times stronger,"

I just smiled at her as she then squeezed my arm one more time "And on that note, I know the boys are at least wondering how you're doing and they'll wanna talk to you. So…I'm gonna talk with Andy and get some stuff done on the burner phones she got us and the laptop,"

"What kind of work?" I had to ask since she started to walk away.

"Well, since I'm the only tech-savvy one in this group, Andy is practically a dinosaur in that department," I had to laugh from her subtle joke, "Copley though it would be a good idea for us to get burners in case something does down with all of this Nazi fiasco. I'm gonna get all of our burners going with GPS so we know where we are at all times,"

I nodded, looking impressed, "That's smart,"

"I gotta pull my weight around here sooner than later," She commented in a chuckle, having me see behind her both Nicky and Joe somewhat hovering at the opening into the patio. Nile looked over at them, they both gave her a small smile as she then looked back at me, sensing that I was going to have another moment with them, '"You gonna be alright?"

"Yeah, thanks Nile," I thanked her, seeing her grin at me one more time before she walked away and into the sitting room. I saw Joe pat her on my shoulder to show that he appreciated her. Once she was out and away from us, I was left looking at both Joe and Nicky, watching how they were seeing me there alone on the patio. I didn't know if they overheard anything from me, though I doubted since I knew they would give me space and time with Nile.

It felt like I wanted to say something to them, really say something since I didn't say anything to either one of them about what happened. Not since I reunited with them all a week ago. But then again, I was still afraid of hearing what they were going to think. Why would I? They've been nothing but my family ever since they found hundreds of years ago, willing to help me and show me how to truly live. It was just sad that they saw me raw at that moment and then not knowing where I was and how I dealt with it.

They both finally walked out into the patio, standing a good foot away from me and just watching me in how my eyes were still red and my stance was still a little loose from how I was hugging Nile moments before. Joe had an arm around Nicky's waist, giving me his infamous smile as he tilted his head at me.

"You feel better?" He asked, not in a scoffed way but with kindness. Nicky was still watching me, he was silent but I knew that he was trying to silently tell me something with how his pale eyes were looking right at me gently.

"A bit," I said to simply, fooling my hands in front of me, "I like her. I think we should keep her,"

Joe chuckled from my attempt of a joke, and Nicky even cracked a soft smile since Joe was chucking next to him. I felt bad, seeing how they were there this whole time and I wasn't letting them in all the way. I knew they understood, deep down they truly did, and in the past when one of us would crumble we would try to pick them up. All this time they tried, and I wasn't letting them.

"Look," I said to them, trying to get the right words together and grasping my arm with my hand, "I know I went away all that time…and now that I'm back it feels like I'm bringing it all back when I didn't want that in the first place. You didn't deserve what I did to you…none of you did…and that last thing I want to do is—"

"Arrêtez," Nicky said smoothly, and quickly, his eyes drilled into mine as I instantly closed my mouth. A wave of fear was hitting me since Nicky was being a bit bold with me. Joe looked over at Nicky, showing that he too was a bit shocked by what Nicky did.

Nicky gave Joe a quick look, squeezing his arm before moving out of his embrace and over to me slowly. He shoved his hands in his jean pockets, the breeze was moving his shirt as he was finally standing in front of me and looking at me so intently it felt like he was trying to read my mind.

"An apology is not in order, not with me. I never saw you as anything different from who you were to me," Nicky explained, his voice soothing and gentle though it was also laced with a fierceness that I hardly heard from him, "And all this time you were gone….yes I was saddened. I didn't understand then, I fully didn't, but it also wasn't my right to understand. Yes, it broke my heart to see you leave us and be on your own…but you needed it. It took me a while to get that,"

"It took us both a while," Joe said in agreement from his spot behind Nicky, have me look at him briefly as Joe walked over to lean against the railing, watching Nicky and I talk together.

"You went through something that any of us would take away from you if we could," Nicky went on with me, "And now that you're back here with us, where you belong, we're not going to let that happen again with you. You're far too strong and valuable to us, Eleanor. I don't want to lose any more time with you, not anymore,"

"I think," Joe said kindly as he walked over to stand next to Nicky, once again wrapping his arm around Nicky's waist as he was watching me, "What Nicky is trying to say, is that we both want it to be what it was like with the three of us back in the day. I've already told you once, if you remember: you're part of my tribe, Eleanor. I want you to stay, you belong here. What did Nicky use to say as to why we were here together?"

I had to smile, a wide wet smile since I knew what he was talking about. It was the core of what all of this new Immoral life was about and what I believed at one time. Nicky preached it plenty of times and showed it in how he, along with Joe, took care of me and never pushed me away.

"Destiny," I answered, seeing both fo them finally grinning at me. Destiny always had a part of our lives, the three of us together. Andy never saw it the way we did, nor did Booker, at least the way Nicky did. And in the end, I knew that letting go of the past was going to be best.

Nicky and Joe walked over, both of them embracing me gently as I was nestled between both of them. I could feel their arms around me, shielding me, and just having me breathe in their unique scents that made me think of home….our home together. They found me, showed me how to navigate in this world, and they never regretted it. Never once did they make me feel unloved and a third wheel, they tried so hard to have me stay with them and feel loved by them. I did too, showing that I loved them both. I felt my fingers winding into their shirts as some sort of anchor as we were embracing each other, as we did plenty of times in the past.

"I've had too many hugs today, what's wrong with me? I've gotten weak," I grumbled wetly in a sigh as I heard Nicky chuckle within my embrace with him. Joe was rubbing my back with his fingers in a soothing notion.

"Just because you're a fierce fighter doesn't mean you don't deserve affection," Nicky reminded me as he pressed this head against my own with closed eyes, another intimate move that he loved to do. I pressed my head back as I grinned, also closing my eyes for the briefest of moments.

"A man of words, you haven't lost it," I joked, though it was laced with a compliment.

"That's Joe's department," Nicky joked back, Joe then pinching his side and we finally broking off our three-way hug with each other. As much as I would want to hug them for a while longer, I knew what was done was done. Another milestone was stupid over and it felt like we could start afresh and new again. Joe snuck in a kiss to my hair as Nicky gently rubbed my arm with his loving smile.

"I can't take you two anywhere," I grumbled, though I was grinning, "But…I don't wanna be apart from you two either. I'm fine right here, and also with Nile and Andy too,"

"Good," Nicky said to me, then both Joe and Nicky giving me some space as I took in a good breath, "How about I make us some dinner? It'll do you some good to fill your stomach,"

"I think we should go with something hearty, and with red wine," Joe said in an agreement as the three of us were walking back to the sitting room. Joe walked over to grab his sketchbook and grabbed a pencil, about to get comfortable on the couch to start a drawing session.

"As tempting as that is," I started, seeing Joe look at me with a raised eyebrow, "I'm gonna go on a run and clear my head for a quick minute,"

"You sure?" Nicky asked as he made his way into the kitchen to start getting some ingredients together.

"Yeah, it's a good day for a run," I reassured him as I then saw Nile waltzing over with a small burner phone in hand. She placed it in my hand, giving me a massive grin.

"Just in case," She explained, though I rose my eyebrow with her, "Although I have seen you snap a guy's neck like it was a twig, it's better to be safe than sorry. Andy thinks it's a good idea…"

"Who are we to go against our leader," I ended for her, holding the phone and looking at it in curiosity, "Alright, I'll at least stick it in my pocket."

"The GPS is already active, and once I get our laptop running on the GPS, we can see where you are," Nile explained, sounding proud of herself.

"Creepy, but I get it," I said to her, seeing her grin, "Thanks, but I'll be fine though. I won't be long, and I might grab us some chocolates from that shop down the street on my way back,"

"You know my favorite!" Nicky said from the kitchen, having me hearing him get the stove on and ready for cooking. Joe chuckled as he got a fresh paper ready on his lap.

"Ah yes….the one with the hazelnuts," Joe joked lightly, in which I rolled my eyes and walked over to my bedroom before I was going to be roped into another argument between the both of them.

"I despise hazelnuts, Joseph! You know that," I heard Nicky gently scold Joe in a light manner as I closed the door behind me. I could still hear them, especially when Joe chuckled low in the pit of his stomach.

"Oh, I do, Nicolo. I just like to pull your leg,"

"Ugg…you two are really somethin' else in your flirting," Nile groaned loudly.

Jogging through Venice was just what I needed.

The air was cooler than other summer days there, it wants as sticky in the air or along the roads as I was weaving in and out of the side streets and along the canals. People were coming and going as they pleased, drinking through their coffee and listening to the street music that was flowing through the open windows. But for me, I was just focused on my easy breathing and the past hour with my talk with the others.

I finally felt free.

Whatever weight was pulling me down and making me stay away from the others all these years was gone, almost like a massive boulder rolling away and out of the picture. I was finally able to breathe in all of those insecurities and guilt trips, it was easier now to just let it go and not dwell on it as much as I did before. All I wanted to do now was just run and get my headspace back in order.

Turning a corner I finally was able to stop and take a breath from my jog. I wore a light travel backpack that had my wallet, knowing the I would store the chocolates in there that I promised to the group. I sighed in relief in taking a break, finally able to rest for a moment when I noticed that I was close to the local chocolate shop that we would all go to from time to time. It's been around for decades, if not a hundred years or so, and seeing the chocolates that I knew the others liked that perfect for me to grab a bag full of chocolates.

I noticed something off to my left, having me pause and look over briefly down the street. Someone was standing a bit too still, instantly moving out of my line of sight and into the alleyway there. It felt off, almost like my intuition was telling me to be careful, but then again, that last thing I wanted to do was be paranoid. So, I shrugged off and walked into the shop, not thinking about it again.

A few minutes later, I was seeing the cashier ring up my bag of treats when I felt the phone in my pocket vibrate against my leg. The cashier handed me the bag and my change.

"Grazie mille," I thanked the women as I took out the phone in one hand and the other hand grabbed the bag. Getting a good grip on the bag, I looked on the screen to see Nile's name right onto the top. I took off my backpack to place the chocolates inside, answering the phone while I was packing. I held it to my ear as I was about to walk out of the shop.

"Nile?" I asked.

"Eleanor, Copley just called us, we have an emergency," She explained, sounding serious and almost frantic on the other end. I could hear rustling around too, almost sounding frantic.

"What is it?" I asked, about to step back out into the street, feeling a sense of dread in how Nile was talking to me on the phone.

"That kid that you killed named Daniel?" She asked, "Yeah, well apparently he had some friends, and they're here in Venice."

I stopped walking, looking dead ahead for a brief moment and clutching the bag in my hand. There were times in the past when we would do a mission, or even out in a battle for all I knew, that made me think that someone from far away was watching me. That gut instinct saved my life plenty of times, and I knew that feeling more than anything. So I looked over to the left again, the same place that I was looking, and once again, a person was staring at me briefly but intensely.

But he wasn't alone now. Two more were with them.

Once they saw me staring, they looked at each other and spoke like they were having a conversation. They were too far away for me to hear anything, and yet they were close enough to have me see that they almost resembled Daniel: dark clothing and their faces pretty covered up in sunglasses. Skinny, looked like mere teenagers in how they were acting and standing. I could tell they were odd, and that they didn't belong here in the setting of Venice.

I turned on my heel, going to a small cafe table right outside the shop and placed my backpack on the top. I was thinking as I did this, buying myself some time as I stuffed the chocolates into the bag. Time was now of the essence since I knew they were going to be after me at any moment. After I got my backpack on again, I was going to the right with my phone back to my ear. I started to walk, looking as casual as I could.

"Nile, I think I just met them. Three of them are behind me," I said under my breath so that other people couldn't hear me.

"What? Are you serious?" She asked, "Shit,"

"I'm sure of it, if not I'm paranoid as hell," I said, looking back over my shoulder briefly to see if they were following me. At least 200 feet away, mingled into the people on the street. They were following me, but they have spread far apart from one another. One was walking down the middle, and the other two flanked to the sides.

"Where are you?" Nile asked me as I was picking up my pace and going a pinch faster, looking ahead and weaving around the people with my head down. I was trying to stay calm and collected, even with three grown men were following me. I've seen this before, and I dealt with it before. Right now, this was a trap.

I was in the middle of an ambush that was about to unfold.

"2 miles away at the chocolate shop,"

"You need to get somewhere safe," Nile urged to me, having me roll my shoulders and try to think of some kind of plan in my head.

"I know, but I'm not going to lead them to the safe house, it's too dangerous," I explained to her, "I gotta get rid of them on my own,"

"We'll track you on the GPS and come to you," Nile explained as I shook my head.

"No, not right now. I can outrun them," I said to her in confidence as I was looking back over my shoulder one more time, seeing that they were still following me and trying to both keep up with me and stay well hidden in the crowd. I looked forward one more time as I then had a plan clicked in place.

"Okay, Nile, listen to me. This situation is going to get hairy very quickly and fast, so time is of the essence. Tell the others to meet me at Doge's Palace in five minutes. Not six, five. They'll know how to get over there fast. Understand?" I heard nothing on her end for a brief moment, having me worry that she was going to argue with me.

"Roger. Just don't do anything stupid," Nile warned me on the other end of the phone. I knew I liked her.

"Not in my nature," I mumbled, hanging up on her and shoving my phone in my pocket once more. I was still walking, seeing that more people were walking around to have me blend into the crowd somewhat. I had to get over there as fast as I could, not to mention to get rid of the three that were following me. The great thing about Venice that was on my side: I knew this place far too well. They barely changed some things there in the town since it was so ancient and I knew a very good amount of streets and alleys. I was always prone to exploring a city we would stay in for years at a time, the town of Venice was no exception. So, I remembered it well enough, I knew how to get to where I needed to go without being exposed for all to see, and to outrun them.

So, digging my heel in, I bolted in an instant.

The Cat and Mouse game began.