Huge thanks to Evil .lil .angel, Hyarou and BADAZZtoldya for leaving me reviews! I'm so happy that you are liking my fic ^^

Your reviews mean a great deal to me!

This will be my last update for a good week and a half as I am going on holiday on Monday! A week away with the girls and I can't wait :)

I was gonna make this chapter longer but I wanted to post something before I go.

Hope you enjoy chapter 3.

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3.

"I fucking slept with someone else" Whirled round and round Altair's brain as he stared in utter shock and silence at the male on the bed.

He was still crouched in place, one hand braced on the mattress, the other just dangling at his side. His yellow/gold eyes, almost glittering, were staring at nothing as Malik moved, unnoticed, retrieved his jeans and quickly pulled them on.

He took a few cautious steps towards Altair when, almost robotically, said male slowly got to his feet. He stood, back ramrod straight as he turned to face the still teary Malik.

Never before had he seen a look like that on his lovers face. It was like a part of him had shrivelled up and died. He took another wary step forwards.

Altair's brain had practically shut down on him. This had to be some sort of dream….perhaps he had hurt himself at work and had lapsed into a coma and this was all just one big conspiracy inside his head.

Why would Malik, despite all his faults, why would the man he loved, the man who kept him grounded when times were at their worse, why would he sleep with someone else?

He barely registered the shaking hand touching his arm.

"Altair?"

Looking at the face infront of him behind glazed over eyes, all Altair could see was red and blue clashing together, making Malik's shape jitter and jump before his eyes, almost like a static had settled over him.

"Altair….talk to me."

His throat, dry and burning, finally managed to croak out, "Who?"

Malik removed his hand from Altair's arm as he stepped back again. He could see the anger and confusion burn deep inside Altair.

"It doesn't matter Altair….I will make sure to never see her again."

Malik chanced looking into those eyes. Tears were building but were not falling. He could see every muscle in Altair's body quiver in restraint.

"Her." Was all that Altair hissed out as he shoved Malik out the way, pulled the door open so hard it clattered against the wall and stormed into the small living room, picking up his hoodie and pulling it over his head, forcing his bare feet into his Converse, grabbing his keys and thundering out the door.

The late afternoon air had a chilly bite to it, making Altair shiver as he kept storming down the street. He wasn't even watching where he was going, so much so that more than once, people had to jump out of his way.

Tears blurred his eyes making his vision swirl and swim. Everywhere he looked he saw red. Faster his feet carried him until he broke into a sprint.

Jostling people out the way while never breaking his momentum, tears spilled freely down his cheeks. He needed an escape, somewhere to go, somewhere to hide so no-one could find him.

Picking up his pace, the muscles him his legs sang as if they had been sleeping forever. Vaulting onto the bonnet of a parked car, into it's roof, he lept onto the side of a building, scaling it with ease. His body burned with every movement, his teenage years of free running surging into his brain and body.

Up and up he climbed, not looking where he was going or where he had been. Fuck the past and anything that had happened. Bitterness and betrayal poured into his heart the higher he climbed. Fuck the man that meant the world to him. Fuck Malik.

Finally, Altair ran out of hand and footholds as he hauled himself over the side of the building. As fate would have it, he had scaled the side of the massive library. The place where Malik had spent most of his time when he studied. The place where Altair would come and pick him up at night before Malik got his car. The place where Altair would doze off across the table from Malik out of sheer boredom. Sitting down and dangling his legs over the side of the building, Altair finally felt his throat constrict, his chest ached and he felt sick.

He raised a quivering hand to his face and tried in vain to wipe the tears away but every time he swept them off with the sleeve of his hoodie, more would fall in their place. A strangled sob found it's way from his throat as he drew his legs up, wrapping his arms around them and burying his face in his bent knees.

He could still smell Malik all over him.

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Tired eyes stared blankly at the far end of the room. Their charcoal depths were empty, almost unseeing.

Malik had stopped crying. He had cried all he had to give over his own mistake. He had no tears left to shed over the pain he had caused Altair.

Altair had been gone for twenty-four hours already.

Malik had tried to sleep but couldn't bring himself to sleep in their bed. His bed now he supposed. He tried to sleep on the couch but every time he shut his eyes, all he could see was those golden eyes staring transfixed at him.

A knocking at the door caused Malik to jump slightly before flying off the couch and throwing the door open, hoping and praying to the heavens that it was Altair.

He back-pedalled when he saw the man standing infront of him.

"Desmond."

Altair's twin brother shouldered his way past Malik and into the living room.

As soon as the door was shut, he perched himself on the arm of the couch and stared at the raven haired male.

"What the fuck have you done!" Desmond all but screamed at Malik.

"He shows up at my door just after midnight, pissed drunk and hanging from my doorframe saying nothing but your name over and over again! What the fuck happened?"

Malik shut his eyes and stared at the floor. At least Altair was alright, that in itself was something.

"I think it's over….I done something. I-I slept with someone else on my works night out."

Malik dare not even look into Desmond's amber eyes for fear of turning to stone on the spot.

The silence in the room was deafening and Malik felt those eyes, so like Altair's staring death at him.

"You slept with someone else huh? What the fuck were you on? He fucking loves you and you go and….fuck!"

"You think I planned this? Think I had it all mapped out in my head? It just happened….I had been with her all night and…" "Her?" Desmond yelled, cutting Malik off.

"Who the hell is she?"

"She works at the firm….I've only met her a couple of times."

"So? I've only met the guy who serves me coffee a couple of times! Doesn't mean I'm gonna go off and fuck him!"

"I slipped ok! I fucking slipped. Now do what you came here to do and get the fuck out!" Malik screamed as he pointed towards the door.

Desmond stood back up and prowled into the bedroom. Malik could her him throwing things into a bag, all the while cursing and swearing under his breath.

"I hope your proud of yourself Malik." Desmond hissed when he came back into the living room, the stuffed bag slung over his shoulder.

"Do I fucking look proud?"

Desmond walked over to the coffee table and picked up the keys to Altair's baby, his Girl.

"You know, he hasn't spoken a word since he passed out last night. He keeps fiddling with that thing around his neck….same way you are doing. He's gonna crash Malik and I won't be able to stop him."

Not giving Malik a chance to respond, Desmond stormed out the door and slammed it behind him.

Malik heard him fire up Girl. He watched out the window as Desmond backed the sleek Vincent Black Shadow out the driveway and speed down the road.

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Altair snapped awake as he heard the unmistakable roar of his Girl coming into Desmond's driveway.

Rubbing the sleep from his nipping eyes, he didn't even acknowledge his twin coming in the door.

"I got some stuff for you and fetched your baby. You no doubt heard her anyway. Can't believe the reconstruction you've done on her man. She purrs like she's fresh off of the construction line."

Desmond knew Altair wasn't listening but he chattered away to him as he unpacked the items of clothes he had taken from his house.

"You wanna eat something?"

A shake of the head was all Desmond got.

"You need to at least drink something….especially with the amount you drank last night."

Again Altair shook his head.

"Come on. Things will get better you know. You've bounced back from worse than this remember? Forget about that twofaced son of a bitch Altair."

Altair whipped his head round and practically snarled at Desmond before scrabbling to his feet and bolting into the guest room.

As he paced around the small room, Altair became increasingly more agitated. How dare Desmond call Malik that.

By every right, Altair should hate Malik's guts right now but….a foolish part of him didn't and still loved him.

Stripping off the clothes he had been wearing for two days straight, Altair quickly changed, pulled on his hoodie and jumped out the open window.

As he walked down the early evening street, he hoped that they still hung out at the same place. It had been years since he had seen them but he needed their help, their distraction from his teaming brain and his crushed heart.

Well, the bar was still there and yes, that unmistakable dented red convertible was parked outside.

Steeling his resolve, Altair entered the smoky bar.

The sweet smell of hash invaded his nostrils as he waded deeper into the darkness. A few people he recognised from years ago raised their heads to see who was walking amongst them. Most though, were barely conscious enough to notice him.

As he got to the back of the dank, dark bar, Altair finally spotted who he was looking for.

"Well well well, look what the cats coughed up eh brother?"

Altair nodded to both males as he sat down opposite them. His eyes quickly scanning the few people around the table, none of which he really remembered from back then. Well, truth be told he couldn't remember much from then.

"Now now Ezio, be nice. It's been a long time Altair."

"Yes it has Frederico."

"So." Ezio drawled out as he leaned towards Altair, "I take it you're here for more than just a chat?"

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Uh oh...Ezio and Frederico...what does Altair want with them?