I'm not pleased with the quality of this chapter: it was more of a filler to prod the story along a bit. The next chapter's a cracker though, not to worry! Enjoy anyway, guys. :)

(And only one reviewer got the Tobuscus reference in the last chapter. Call yourself Ass Creed fans, you lot? Honestly :P )

27th of April, 2012. Scotland. After hours.

'I noticed the money's arrived in the offshore account.'

'Yes, sir – came through yesterday,' McDonald agreed, standing at Vidic's desk and hoping all the liquids he was sweating out of fear weren't seeping through his uniform. 'We can get the Animus running to how it was again, and, uh, then some.'

'And "then some?" I like the sound of Darren. Well done.' Vidic congratulated McDonald while sifting through some papers on his desk.

McDonald grinned a little shakily. Had he got away with it? Had he, really? He didn't dare hope.

Maybe.

'Uh, is there anything else you need, sir?'

'No, no. You're free to go, McDonald.'

McDonald restrained himself from leaping from his seat and bolting out of the door – instead, he got up calmly and saluted Vidic with a shaking hand. He'd almost gotten to the door when:

'Ah, Darren?'

His heart stopped after it threw itself into his throat.

I've been found out. FUCKFUCKFUCK a voice in his head screamed. Sweat trickled down the back of his neck, and he forced himself to turn. 'Sir?' He managed.

Vidic had gotten to his feet, and held McDonald's coat in his hand. 'Forgetting something?'

McDonald wanted to fall to his knees and cry with relief. 'Oh. Thank you.' He forced a laugh, took it from Vidic, and bowed himself out of the office, shutting the door behind him. Vidic eyed the closed door thoughtfully, and then went back to his desk, his fingers groping under the edge until he found a button, which he pressed. A moment later, the door was opened again, and one of those strange men in motorcycle gear opened it and looked inside with an air of expectancy. Vidic, sitting back down behind the desk, nodded wordlessly. The man nodded in response, and shut the door again. It looked down the corridor and saw McDonald's retreating figure disappearing around the corner, shrugging on its coat.

It followed, like it had been told to do.

McDonald wasn't going home just yet. He had a purpose. He knew it was dangerous, he knew he was risking everything Maria had dragged him into, but he knew it was right to do. He had to. He had to.

Ever since she'd swept into his life…everything had made sense. He didn't like it, but he'd begun to understand how much of a cowardly little fuck he was in such a short space of time – that and the overwhelming urge to make himself a better person was daunting.

You're doing this just to impress her, aren't you? Said a voice in his head. He pushed it aside, and focused on his task. This would make everything better. This would be the thing that made him different.

In what seemed like a ten second walk that was actually a five minute one, he was outside the door of Lucy Stillman's prison. Steeling himself, he punched in the key on the dial pad, and let himself into the holding area beyond. The door at the other end was opened by the guard, who requested identification. McDonald handed him his work ID, and after a glance at it, the guard waved him through. He stepped inside, and after his eyes adjusted after being blinded by the white, he saw Stillman in her glass box, her back to him. She was curled up on her bed, facing the opposite wall.

He swallowed nervously, and turned back to the guard, who had resumed his post at the door and was looking dead ahead, arms crossed over his chest. McDonald couldn't help but notice the amount of muscles on the bastard.

He could crush my skull like a grape.

He resisted the urge to squeak in fear, and with some difficulty, cleared his throat.

'I…uh…'

The guard's head turned towards him slowly. He nearly averted his eyes from the gaze behind the sunglasses, but forced them to stay, and he began to sweat again. 'I, uh, need to talk to the prisoner alone. Vidic's orders.'

The guard considered what McDonald had said. And then:

'You got five minutes.'

McDonald nodded a little nervously, and watched as the guard walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. McDonald could just about make out his huge figure behind the glass as he resumed duty just outside the door. McDonald wasted no time – he hurried to the glass cell and hovered outside of it awkwardly. She must have heard him come in, and the sound of his voice, but she hadn't turned. Nothing about her indicated that she was even vaguely interested in him.

'…Stillman?'

Nothing. Hesitantly, he tapped on the glass with his knuckle. Stillman didn't even stir.

'Look, nobody except that guard knows I'm here. I'm risking my life doing this, you can bloody well have the decency to listen.' McDonald hissed. And it was that that motivated Stillman into speaking.

'Decency?'
Her voice was thin through the microphone.

'Yes. Decency.'

Stillman turned on her bed, and McDonald was met with eyes rimmed by dark circles and a gaunt face. She looked half starved.

'You're going to talk to me about decency?'

McDonald faltered for a moment, and then attempted to regain control. 'Look, we don't have time for that. I came here to tell you – '

'To tell me what? That it's all my fault that I nearly killed everyone?'

'No –'

'You haven't let Desmond out of the Animus, have you? I was an idiot to believe Vidic would even consider it.'

'Wha –'

'If you've come to gloat about it like the little fuck you are, then –'

'I am not gloating I'm trying to help you!'

Stillman frowned. 'You're trying to help me?'

'Yes. Me. I'm trying to help you. OK?'

Stillman froze, and then shook her head with a glare. 'I don't believe you.'

'You don't have to. And to be frank, I don't give a damn if you don't. There's an Assassin in this place, and fuck knows how, but I've been dragged into it and we're going to get you and your little buddies out of here. Including Miles.' Or what's left of him, he added in his head. 'OK?'

Stillman was silent for a moment. And then: 'Why are you telling me this?'

McDonald ran a hand through his hair. 'I dunno. Something's happened to me. I want to stop being a dickhead, probably.'

Stillman snorted, but to McDonald's delight, she was smiling. It was little, but it made him want to smile too. They shared a moment before the sound of the door opening made McDonald start so hard that he almost fell over.

'Time's up.' The guard said, holding the door open. McDonald looked back to Stillman, who to his surprise had put the stricken prisoner look on again. Her eyes widened slightly, willing him to play along. He did.

'And don't you forget it.' He said, as though his five minutes had been spent torturing her, and then spun on his heel and strode away, past the guard out of the door. It closed behind him, and McDonald allowed himself a grin.

Maria'll be impressed.

The thought cheering him, he trotted back up the stairs, avoiding the steps that had cracked after the incident with the TARDIS, wondering if he might get the chance to meet with Maria that evening.

Behind him, out of the shadows, came the man in the motorcycle gear. Behind the visor of his helmet, he watched McDonald's ascent, and then turned away – taking another route.

The one to Vidic's office.

Aw snap. McDonald, boy, you watch yourself!

You're all going to love the next chapter, I promise. Shit is about to go down. Anyway, review, and I'll see you guys then! :D