It had taken the assassin a few more days than expected, but he had dealt with the target without breaking the Tenets and was heading toward the Bureau without any troubles. Climbing up the ladder and thru the doorway, he walked in expecting a sarcastic remark from his one-armed friend. But what he saw was far from the cranky, sarcastic man he had come to know.

Before him stood Malik, behind his desk with a smile that shone like the moon on a dark nite, his eyes brimming with kindness and glee as he held a pure white feather between his thumb and forefinger, waving it before a small basket that sat on the desktop. From the basket, two small pudgy hands reached out for the feather as bubbly giggles and babbles echoed thru the room.

Altair was caught off guard. He had never even dreamed that he would see that beautiful smile again. A faint blush covered his cheeks as he stood in the radiance of the moon, before it disappeared as quickly as a shooting star. Malik noticed the assassin standing awe-struck in the doorway and his usual demeanor re-emerged; the shining smile replaced by a frown, the kindness and glee covered by apathy, but the feather stayed where it was.

"About time you reappeared, novice. Were you able to dispatch your target or did you fail again?" he said, sighing tiredly and taking a closer look at the other man. Frowning deeper than usual, he furrowed his brow in mild concern,

"Altair, are you alright? Your face is red. Did you catch a cold or something?" he asked, much to the other man's embarrassment. Altair turned his back to the confused Rafik, pulling his hood farther down his forehead before facing him again.

"N-no. I'm fine. And stop calling me a novice! I have followed the Tenets, and have been restored to the rank of Master. I demand authority." he said, looking at Malik with hard golden eyes. He just rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the basket before addressing him again.

"It matters not if you have been restored to master. You will always be a novice in my eyes, Altair. So long as that arrogance dwells within you." he said simply, rolling the feather between his fingers as the small hands tried to grab at it again.

"Malik? What is that you're playing with?" Altair asked, walking closer to the desk. He cocked a brow in alarm as he saw a bubbling infant snuggled safely inside the basket, its bright blue eyes shining with fascination as its small fingers tried to grasp at the white feather that Malik hung above it. The assassin looked at the Rafik suspiciously,

"Malik...Where did you find that infant?"

"I don't see how that is any of your business."

"It is if that babe has a mother-"

"He doesn't have a mother. I found him out on the street a few nites ago, alright?" he spat defensively, putting the feather away and gently removing the infant from the basket. Holding the baby close, Malik made his way to his room without giving Altair a second glance. The assassin reached out and grabbed the brunette by the shoulder, trying to make sense of his change in attitude.

"Malik, I just wanted to know if that babe-"

"You're not taking him! I will NOT go thru it again!" he shouted, clutching the infant so close it began to whine. Malik glared at Altair; his eyes filled with so much sorrow and hatred the assassin flinched, letting go of the man's shoulder and just standing rooted to the spot as the Rafik slammed his bedroom door in his face.

The outburst had shocked the assassin as well as the Rafik. Altair had just been curious about the origins of the infant, he hadn't meant to anger Malik. Finally getting out of his daze, the assassin slowly made his way toward the front room of the Bureau, lying down on the many cushions and looking up thru the gate at the starry nite, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

Malik slumped against the door, slowly sliding to the floor. Gently lying the infant in his lap, he wondered why he had reacted like he did. Though he had forgiven Altair for what had happened, the thought of losing the babe frightened him; he did not want to lose his brother a second time. For some reason, the feelings from that time, the ones he had thought he had settled were still there; bottled up and waiting to spill.

Looking down, he hoped seeing the babe's shining smile would lighten his mood. To his surprise the infant had stood on its own, leaning against his chest for support and reaching up to him. Smiling, he leaned down to allow it's small chubby fingers explore his features; his eyes shining with joy as he watched the awe in the infant's chilly blue eyes.

"Well, it seems you're growing much faster than I thought. You can already stand! What a smart boy you are, Kadar." he chuckled, holding little Kadar closer and planting a kiss on his forehead. He was rewarded with blissful laugher followed by a slightly painful tug of his hair. As he slowly unraveled the babe's fingers from the black strands, he glimpsed out the window noticing how dark the sky was getting.

"Look at that. Night has come quickly today. Seems it is time for you to sleep; but my work has just begun." Malik said, wrapping his arm around the infant to carry him as he got up. Looking around, he realized that in his outburst he had forgotten to grab the blanket that he usually wrapped Kadar in. Shrugging, he set down Kadar so he could undress him, wrapped him warmly in some of his blankets then set him in the middle of the bed. Kissing his forehead, he then turned to get back to work, hoping Altair had fallen asleep or left.

Checking the front room, he was startled to find Altair sitting on the edge of the fountain, messing with his hidden blade absent-mindedly. Malik was about to walk back inside when a husky whisper reached his ears.

"You still haven't forgiven me have you?" Malik turned to find those honey colored eyes gazing at him coldly.

"I already said what I had to about that. You are not the same man that was with me in Solomon's Temple. So I have nothing to forgive." he said tiredly, turning to walk inside.

"Well you don't act like it! You're still as cynical as before! Where's the Malik I used to know?" Altair shouted, getting up from his seat and standing angrily. Malik couldn't hold his composure any longer, his bottled up feelings finally burst.

"HE DIED IN THE TEMPLE WITH HIS BROTHER! WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW?" he bellowed, face red and eyes stinging.

"It's only been a few months! Do you think that's enough to forgive? To forget what YOU caused? Forgive me for not being all cheery and happy about life when I've lost so much! DO YOU THINK IT'S EASY? Seeing you walk in here, all high and mighty almost everyday and NOT beat that arrogant face in? Do you know how hard I had to work to at least still be considered an assassin? You took my life and threw it away! You pompous, arrogant, idiotic excuse for a human being!" he continued, tears collecting in the corners of his eyes and threatening to spill. Altair had expected as much; the resentment, anger, hatred, blame. But even with all those things, he still wanted to see that smile again.

"Malik, I know you hate me. I deserve the insults, all of them. But please...just...smile for me. Like when we were little, please." he said, his head hanging in embaressment and annoyance at his own need to beg for such a little thing. But his statement derailed Malik's train of thought, leaving him speechless. He kneaded his brows in confusion,

"W-what...did you just say?" he asked, shock in his voice. Altair stepped closer to him, his face hidden by the shadow cast by his hood, his voice coming out strained,

"Please Malik...Smile for me."