Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Assassin's Creed or anything associated with the series. I do, however, own Evelina, Adriano, Lucio, and any other characters you don't recognize from the series.

Author Notes: So... I haven't been here in a while... please don't pelt me with huge rocks. I've been rather busy lately and this chapter was rather boring to write. But good news! I did complete a lot of research for the next chapter so I hope I can post it in a shorter time span than it took me to post this one. :)

Read on! Reviews!

Due Statue di Pietra

They circled each other like the predator and his prey. Evelina tried with all of her might to burn holes into his head with her glare, but with all of her attempts, she only received a blank stare. His feet moved with the same grace as Lucio's; his fists balled in front of his gaze in preparation. The Assassin could feel her face heating with aggravation and her nails dug into her palm as she tightened her fist. She was ready.

Evelina took the first strike and swung around to bash his face. He blocked, continuing to do so for her next few jabs. Finally, she tricked him with an uppercut and a swift elbow in the gut. The powerful blow made the Agile stumbled backwards a few steps, but he quickly recovered and thrust his fist towards her. He missed, and she took the opportunity to grab his arm and throw him to the ground. She jumped on top of him and wrapped her legs around his waist with his arms trapped to his sides. Her fists made contact with his face, her strength breaking his nose among other things.

Before she could do more damage, he managed to free his arms, gripping her shoulders and flipping her backwards. Adriano landed on top of her, swiftly slipping a knife from his boot and to her throat but almost at once, her wrist extracted a hidden blade against the thin skin of his neck. But neither moved.

"You cheated," she growled.

"So did you."

There was a pause as one pair of eyes tried to burn through the others'… but her attempts were useless.

"I'm tired of fighting you, Evelina." Their faces were inches apart as a small drop of blood dripped onto the girl's brow. His face was an absolute mess.

"Of course you are. All men get tired when they feel they aren't winning," she spat, scowling at the man.

His expression softened and became nearly sorrowful. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm not even sure why I'm here…" he thought for a moment. "But I'm not the same man you killed. I've… given up that life."

Evelina scoffed. "And that is why you are fighting me."

"I'm fighting you so you won't kill me again."

She remained silent, trying to avoid his gaze.

"I'm not one of them. I'm a free man between two hostile peoples." He paused, letting her take his words into her mind and, hopefully, her heart. "That is why I wish you not to tell Lucio I'm alive," he explained.

Evelina's glare turned to shock. "But you saved his life…"

"I know what I did and I'm glad I did it," he said firmly, hoping to God he wasn't lying to himself. "I know you will care for him."

She swallowed hard and her eyes lit up in fire again. "I'm not doing it for your sake! He will make a wonderful Assassin with all of the teaching you had provided him!"

Adriano sighed. "Grazie a Dio."

"What was that?"

He shook his head. "Nothing," he said, secretly grateful that his companion had indeed not been tortured, but rather transformed and utilized. But that was exactly what the Assassins needed at that time- a savior. The imperial army was much too strong- even with their decreased numbers and those rampant scoundrels, turning every street to scrap. They were coming close to the Vatican as they spoke.

The Assassin growled in frustration. "You can feel free to let me up at any time."

Adriano played along. "Or you could kill me?"

Evelina spat in his eye.

He grumbled but then allowed himself to laugh. "You are a strong woman. I respect you for that."

"And you are a pest. Get off me before I slit your throat!" she yelled.

He moved his face closer to hers. "You wouldn't do that," he teased.

She was fuming. "Don't test me."

But before she could shout at him again, he placed a kiss on her cheek, leaving her paralyzed. Adriano jumped to his feet and made a dash towards his horse. He leaped on the back of the steed and rode out of the woods, stealing only a glance at the rising Evelina.

"Figlio di puttana!" she yelled after the horse and his rider. She stood and reached for her cheek, rubbing it gently as if the kiss would come off with her hand.

But all that was there was a strange chilling sensation. The same one she recognized from a year before. Before she became an Assassin. Before she knew of war.

A recognizable heat rose to them. Embarrassment. She had been defeated by the enemy… or who she thought was an enemy. Who was Adriano, really? He didn't seem as much of a threat as Elisabetta made him out to be, but he was of Templar blood. Perhaps Evelina had drained so much of that blood, that it no longer existed in full. She had to visit the Rosa in Fiore and speak to her aunt. Claudia knew more about him than anyone else. Well, except Lucio, but he could not know Adriano was alive or he might turn on the Assassins entirely.

Thoughts scratched at the inside of her head like angry beasts, unable to reach her lips. She turned her head to the man's supplies on the boulder nearby. Various herbal concoctions, solutions were scattered about among some heaps of gauze. She also found a few dried fruits and bread in a pouch close to the medicine. In addition, she found Adriano's black cloak, which she kept in her grasp.

Leaving the other items there, she padded over to her own horse outside the woods and hopped on its back. With a jolt, Evelina rode back to the Thieves Guild.

When she arrived, her father awaited her; he stood like a stone statue at the front of the stables. She walked the horse up and set it in its stall, patting its head as it turned to eat.

"We have a meeting today with the others, Evelina."

She was startled by his voice, even through his calm and soothing tone. She turned around to face him, holding the cloak behind her back. "I've never been to one of the meetings before. Why am I going now? Who will take care of things here?" Of course she saw this as an opportunity to speak to her aunt, for she would attend the meeting, but she still questioned her father's motives.

He patted her shoulder. "I have everything under control here. It is not here, we are worried about, mia figlia. It is Il Vaticano. The Pope is in grave danger and though the Duke is dead-..."

"The Duke is dead?"

Signore Auditore chuckled at his daughter's ignorance. "Do you see now why you must attend the meeting?"

Evelina sighed. Of all of the times. "Si Padre. I do. When and where should I be?"

He smiled down at her. "Tonight. I will give you ten minutes notice and you will ride with me. Capito?"

Evelina nodded and stepped lightly past her father and to the inn, thankful that he did not think to ask about the strange black cloth behind her back.

"Where have you been, Evelina? I was beginning to worry the wolves had gotten you!" Lucio joked from a table by the wall.

Evelina smiled slightly and quickly slipped the cloak over the back of another chair, feeling guilt churn in her stomach. His friend, long thought dead, was alive… and yet she said nothing.

They had grown closer, the two of them. Through the training and vigorous exercises, a mutual appreciation had blossomed from the ashes of remembrance and hatred. The eyes of the other no longer sought hate but rather a new taste of adventure- a similar taste for the fight. Lucio seemed to understand the errors of his old ways and came to a realization- for what the Assassins fight, did not seem so wrong.

She sat down across from him, playing with the straps on her gauntlet. "Why the long face, bella?" Lucio teased.

The Assassin let a sigh escape her lips. "It's not worth saying, my friend."

His face scrunched in confusion, forcing a small hiccup of a laugh from Evelina before she informed him of the meeting she was asked to attend later.

"Why now? Do they not have enough brains in that little group of theirs? They surely won't need yours, considering the size."

Evelina punched his shoulder playfully and they laughed.

"I really must go, Lucio. I have things to do before the meeting. I'll be back soon. Prometto." She really didn't. But she needed a reason to leave the conversation before he could question what she had been doing since he left. This was not something she wished to discuss over a couple of drinks.

The Agile gave a nod and a quick smirk before she raced up the stairs.

She met her father outside the inn and they began their ride for the meeting place. Her father refused to reveal its location aloud for fear there were eavesdroppers and, in any case, she had been informed that they were taking a long route to confuse any who might follow. They rode with haste, but not enough to attract unwanted attention.

Finally, they arrived in a village near one of recently repaired aqueducts. The village, however, was in desperate need of just that. Windows were shattered, waste was splattered along the streets, and torn clothing was strewn along the alleys. Blood crawled out of an open door, and a moaning woman struggled to call for help- but nothing could be done. A child ran for her, shouting for her, but she did not have the strength to hold him. She collapsed. The child screamed.

"Come, Evelina. There is nothing we can do," Signore Auditore beckoned his daughter, for she had not realized she had stopped in her tracks.

The child whimpered over the mother's corpse, choking out prayers for God to bring her back.

"Evelina."

"I know."

She walked with her horse, the child's cries still echoing in her ears.

After what seemed like forever, Signore Auditore uttered the long awaited words,

"We're here."

Grazie a Dio- Thank God

Figlio di puttana!- Son of a bitch!

Capito?- Understand?

Bella- Beautiful

Prometto- I promise