Hey guys, thanks for the reviews Amilah and guest. It's much appreciated. J Anyway, on with the next chappy. Onwards we ride. Xxxxxxxxx

Tom's/Lisa's P.O.V

I walked into the workshop. It was fairly small and there weren't that many people, about 19, 20. My eyes clocked a man, quite fat and in his 50s. He walked up to me and asked who I was and what I wanted. I told him my name, well what I call myself now. Come on Lisa this is a new life, no one must know your real identity. You came here to paint and become a great artist, not to blow your cover. There is little chance of you ever being able to paint as a girl in Florence. The workshops only want boys. If any of them find out you're really a girl then it's over. O.V.E.R! You'll have to go back home and marry whoever it was mum was trying to sell you off to. Why can't she just let me marry whoever I want to? It's not the Elizabethan times anyone, I can marry for love.

I showed Verrochio my recommendation that I had been given.

*FLASHBACK*

I had been dragged around the dark, dreary alleyways of Florence by some tall, burly man. No one was around to see or hear or help me. I honestly thought I was going to die. He led me to the catacombs beneath Florence. After he had dragged me to a particular place he stopped. I looked around to see around twelve men in black robes, you couldn't see their faces, you could only hear their voices. It was all very sinister.

"What do you want?" I was terrified, trying to put up a fight and make it seem as if I wasn't scared. As if I was tough. As if I was a boy and could handle it. "I haven't done anything. I'm nobody."

"I wouldn't say that", a voice appeared; he must've been the leader of the gang of creeps. "I'm told you have real talent."

"What?" I questioned timidly. I let my fear and confusion, of what was going on, show.

"How would you like to be an artist's apprentice?" The same voice asked.

"I'd love it, but it's not possible." I felt calmer and less scared. The voice was softer and less intimidating now.

"This is Florence. Anything is possible."

"I've tried the workshops. They won't even look at my work without a letter of recommendation." I looked down to my feet. Even saying that sentence made me feel unworthy. I was a poor, common boy (girl) who lived on the streets.

The man of whom the voice came from presented me a letter, "From the Academy of Art in Rome." I took it and looked each crease, each line,each word of it up and down in amazement. "You will take it to Verrochio's workshop. It should gain you entry."

"Grazie," I said as I tried to get away from the group of people in black robes, surrounding me.

"Eh, not so fast." I stopped in my tracks. Well I couldn't get past the sinister, robe wearing people. "There is an apprentice at Verrochio's workshop, a certain Leonardo Da Vinci. We want his notebook."

"I'm not a thief."

"You will deliver it to the Church in the Piazza Di Rivoli before dusk." He didn't take 'no' for an answer. He continued giving me his orders, in spite of my objecting to it. I said nothing. I had nothing to say. He wouldn't listen to my answer. Within a few seconds of the end of my mission, I was dragged by the arm by the same burly man who had brought me down there. He led me to the workshop.

*END OF FLASHBACK*

Verrochio was telling me that, although the letter of recommendation was impressive, I was still another hungry mouth to feed and I couldn't stay under his roof. I looked down in disappointment. I had the chance to fulfil my dream of becoming an artist and I was being rejected. I was good; I had talent in the artistic areas, although it's not entirely modest to say that about yourself. Just as I had lost all hope in ever working in this humble, yet exciting college (working in any is better than working in none at all), a boy around my age, tall, dark hair and eyes, quite handsome (no, Lisa! No falling in love. You really don't need it at the moment.) came to my rescue. Wait he was the same boy from earlier! The one that almost ran me over with his bike. He was the artist, the one who said I had real talent when he saw my drawing on the pavement.

"I've seen his work, maestro, it's fantastico." I forced myself into hiding tears of joy. Verrochio then allowed me the time it took for him to make himself a tea for me to show him what I could do. I put my bags down and then sat on a stool. I drew a self portrait. When Verrochio came out of the kitchen with his tea he stood over me and looked at my drawing.

"Not bad. Technique raw. But it's expressive. You've captured the essence of your subject. Your sweetheart?" He provided a commentary.

"My sister." I replied.

"Ah yes. I see the family resemblance." He then went on to say that I was under his roof for a trial period and that I had to accomplish any task he set without complaints. "You'll start work tomorrow and Leonardo will show you the ropes."

"Leonardo?" I felt my eyes widen. No. It couldn't be. As I said the name in an inquisitive manner the tall, dark, handsome boy replied,

"Da Vinci." He then showed me around the workshop. He explained what we (I say 'we' as I am now part of the family.) I felt like crying. I was now probably miles away from home, but had been given the opportunity of a life time, I was an apprentice! Even through this great joy I felt, questions ran through my brain. What if I got it all wrong? What if I was a disappointment? What if it all became too overwhelming and I quit? "Hey, it should be me who should be worried, you are very good." Leonardo said. He had clearly seen that I was about to burst into tears. Great, so he was gorgeous, charming and really kind as well. Good luck on the whole not falling in love, Lisa.

Leonardo called Cosima to show me where I can sleep. He then said "see you later", and walked out. But he didn't say it in a kind of friendly type way. It sounded like a question, like he really wanted to see me later. It kind of sounded flirty. But it couldn't have been because I'm dressed as Tom.

Cosima, a dark skinned maid type person walked out of the kitchens. "Come on, love. I'll show you where you can sleep." We walked up 3 flights of stairs. (This building was quite tall.) Luckily I hadn't really brought much from home, just a couple of bags, one was a backpack which fit a couple of pairs of skinny jeans and 2 tops in. I'd only brought one pair of shoes, the ones I was wearing. They also fitted in other essentials. I hadn't brought any girlish clothes, just the ones that looked boyish enough, like skinny jeans and baggy tops. The other bag was a shoulder bag, obviously not like a handbag, it had no obvious female resemblance, it was just plain and it carried my phone, purse (I had barely any money anyway) and my sketch book and a couple of pens.

When we got to our destination Cosima said "Here we are, you can share with Leonardo, sorry, it's 2 to a room and he's the only one without a partner."

"No, it's fine. Thank you."We were on the top floor, the only ones on the floor, in fact. The room wasn't massively big but I didn't expect it to be. I didn't expect to get this far in. Wait, I'm sharing with Leonardo. I can get the notebook. I put my bag down and Cosima left the room I put my bag down on the empty bed. Funny, maestro seemed reluctant to hire another apprentice but there was already another bed in Leonardo's room. Oh well, maybe it was a spare. Anyway, it's mine now.

I looked around the room and saw the notebook on Leonardo's bed. No, I can't take it, not after he's been so kind and he practically gave me the apprenticeship here. But if I don't who knows what those sinister men in the black robes will do to me. They could kill me. No I have to do it. I mean, I barely even know Leonardo, for all I know of him he could be as sinister. I have to do this; if I don't then I could be killed. My family could be killed. He might not even notice.

After making my decision I grabbed the notebook and looked through it a bit, the designs were absolutely brilliant, no wonder those people wanted them. I hid the book in my jacket and went out to give the book to whoever came for it at the Church. As I walked out the front door of the workshop I was greeted by the boy who had accused me of stealing his peaches...Which I may or may not have done. He had been with Leonardo.

"Ciao", he said which startled me.

"Do you always creep up on people like that?" I said, not in a friendly or jokey way.

"I'm Machiavelli, Mac for short. Congrats."

"What for?"

"Getting a letter of recommendation so quickly, now that really is a talent."

"It came from Rome just after you left."

"Rome, eh?"

"Yeah."

"You've not got much of an accent." How nosy was he?

"We moved there."

"Where from?" Oh my goodness, how fond of questions and sticking his nose into other people's business was he?"

"Mind your own business!"

"You're a runaway aren't you?" He came really close to my face.

"No, certainly not. How dare you? My parents wanted me to become an artist they sent me to stay with my aunt."

"Then where does she live then, this aunt?"

"Via de Pandolfini if you must know."

"Oh, very nice, she must be rich."

"She is." I said back to try and knock him down in his place. What right did he have, asking all these questions?

"Get her to buy you some decent threads then." I'm sorry, but how rude?

"You are very rude and I don't have time to stand here and be insulted. I'm going to pick up my things from my aunt." With that I walked off. What an arrogant person! I looked back to see him stood, staring at me. I looked back about 20 seconds later before turning a corner and he was gone. The cheek of some people!

I stood at the Church's porch, waiting for someone who would take the notebook. "Tomaso." I hid the book behind me, it was Leonardo, the rude, arrogant one who had just been interrogating me and another, he was dark haired and looked as if he came from a rich family. "What are you doing with my notebook?" Leonardo asked.

"Oh is it yours? I must have slipped it in my bag by mistake." My voice shook and I spoke coyly. I like Leonardo, I don't want to cause him any harm or damage, but I had to do this. "I was just borrowing it; I was going to give it back." A horse then came face to face with both Leonardo and the rich one. The man on the horse was the same man who had abducted me; he reached his hand out for the book. I almost gave it to him, but threw it to Leonardo instead. He rode off on his bike with it and was followed by Mr Burly and his horse.

The next I saw of Leonardo was him walking, being propped up by his bike, as if he was in pain. "Are you okay?" Machiavelli asked.

"Yep."

"And the notebook?" I asked.

"Gone", he replied. I looked to the skies in frustration as the posh boy ran up to us. He threatened reporting me to his father, Piero de Medici. Ahem, Mr La-di-da, ahem. I was threatened with prison and nicknamed a 'despicable thief.' To which I replied "Do it then. What does it matter? I didn't have a choice."

"Yeah right, course you didn't." The posh boy said.

"What do you mean?" Leonardo asked, of course being the kinder and more compassionate one out of the group.

"The man on the horse, who chased you, abducted me."

"You aren't seriously going to listen to this rubbish are you?" I still don't have a name for the posh one.

"He took me into the catacombs beneath the city, to this sort of chamber place. There were these weird men in black robes, chanting, like some sort of secret society or something."

"And the letter of recommendation?" Machiavelli picked up on this, of course.

"A fake. They gave it to me." I looked over to Leonardo, hoping he'd believe me, afterall, I was telling the truth. "Look believe what you like, it's the truth." I looked to Leonardo again as I said it. I stood in front of him, hoping he'd see in my eyes that I was being honest. "I didn't wanna do it." I said as I walked away.

"Wait, wait, this place that they took you to, do you think you could find it again?" Leonardo asked, he believed me, at least.

"They're not people you wanna mess with." I told him, well warned him.

"They've got my notebook. All my work, designs, calculations. I can't lose it." His voice showed me how desperate he was, he needed my help, afterall, I had gotten him into this mess. "I can't." One look into his deep, chocolate eyes and I knew how I was spending my afternoon: down the catacombs again.

Hey guys. I really didn't want to stop there, but I had to because it's 2 in the morning and I'm not an owl. Hope you've enjoyed it, please review. All constructive criticism is very welcome. I'll try and update a bit sooner. Also, sorry that it's basically just going through what happened in the episode. I will add bits in, it's just I'm trying to introduce the characters a bit first, when they find out Tom's Lisa then I'll add bits in. Ciao. Xxxxxxxxx