Thank you for the reviews! Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated – for grammar or style of writing. If you feel a put too much detail or not enough detail into something (emotions, what the character is doing, dialogue isn't life-like) please just let me know and I shall work on it.

I appreciate all and any feedback! Enjoy!

Altair watched her go, he wanted to be angry with her but he knew her words to be true – he had never been there for her. He had been there for his brother when he was a part of the company, and when Desmond explained he wanted to leave the brotherhood, Altair had supported him and even spoke with the council of leaders to smooth such over. He had tried to be there during his brother's hard times as well, he sent money plenty of times, only for his checks to be returned to him; Altair couldn't help someone that didn't want to be helped. But he understood why his younger brother hadn't wanted to be helped as well, he had been able to get a job as a bartender and enjoyed it very much. He always got Christmas cards of him and Altair's niece, birthday cards, and Altair always sent money for the pair that Desmond put into a fund.

Money doesn't replace presence, he had thought as he turned and re-entered the school to speak with the principal. The parent's left, the father getting in Altair's face and pointing a pale finger in his face, "you are lucky that we aren't going to sue! Get your daughter under control." And with that he left, putting a hand on the lower back of his daughter who was still sniffiling and holding an ice pack to her eye.

"Mr. Miles, please sit," Altair didn't correct the principal with his last name, Desmond and Altair had different fathers, same mother, giving them different names and their exotic looks. He took a seat calmly and waited expectantly, "I hope you realize just how much I have stuck my neck out for you and your daughter considering how much money you have given on top of the tuition fees to keep your daughter's records private, with no questions asked."

"I appreciate it," Altair stated calmly before going on, "she's usually a sweet girl, Mr. Gilland, I don't understand what came over her."

"Regardless of how she acts, I can't simply ignore her bullying someone," the principal sighed, "she shall be suspended for the rest of the week, and that is a generous suspension considering expulsion was what the father was demanding."

Altair nodded his head, "the move hasn't been easy for her. Maybe we rushed her into school."

He nodded his head understandingly before saying, "Maybe. Figure it out. I shall still allow her to join after winter break if that is what you desire."

After thanking the principal, Altair had rose and left, he had to return to his job considering he got called out of a meeting and was forced to leave. He walked calmly into his office, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt uncomfortably as he entered the elevator. As he arrived onto his floor, he had barely stepped off the elevator before his friends had attacked him, "Ah and daddy returns, daughter forget her lunch box?" The group howled and Altair chucked his briefcase at them, one caught it and only made the jackals laugh harder.

"Share the assignment, what did I miss from the meeting," Altair demanded, instead of being given a verbal response, he was handed a report. He took it without word and immediately began reading, "so we have been given our target then…a man named Zeds, some sort of mafia leader. Since when do we get involved in mafias?"

"Since they mysteriously start getting advanced weaponry and technology – they have a supplier," said the one that had mocked him before, growing serious, "out of nowhere these scrubs go from shooting pistols, robbing gas stations, and selling marijuana to shooting machine guns only distributed through the military, robbing the most secured banks and diamond stores, and human trafficking."

Altair twisted his face, "no one thought to check the military bases first?"

"Don't think us so small minded, Altair," another said, he was sitting on the desk, spinning a basketball in his hands, "we've already checked any and all military personnel – found some dirty shit, but most are clean. Plus, it is not our military from which they are getting these weapons; they're foreign."

"Why not go for the leader, why waste our time going for some petty mob," Altair questioned as he flipped through the report.

The first responded once more, "To send them a warning – we haven't been in an outright war with the Templars since the desert. If he doesn't listen, then we shall go for bigger fish."

"Then it shall be done, when do we leave," Altair asked, returning the report back to the order it belonged and setting it on a desk, shrugging out of his suit jacket and folding it onto his own desk chair which was never used.

"2200, until then, basketball?"

Altair hated how lax the company was on assassinations, he too didn't think too much about the assassinations once. That all changed with his own mistakes, killing Malik's brother and one of his friends, Kadar, and almost losing Malik. The year that had followed after his fatal mistake was torture for Altair, though he would never complain compared to the torture that Malik must have suffered through that same year. But now as he sat in the car with one of his comrades getting high, and the other one cracking jokes about whores and sluts, Altair couldn't help but be disgusted at the memory of him being right there with them.

"Come on, Altair, lighten up, what's wrong with you," one paused in his laughing at the jokes to ask.

"I'm just worried about my niece, I didn't get to walk her home. I know she's there, but I'd feel a lot better if I could see her," admitted Altair.

Immediately the pussy jokes started up and Altair was whacked on the back of his head. A couple years ago he would laugh, fight, or insult back – now he merely sat silently as he thought of Isobel's words and only wished that she was safe at home and doing better. He wanted to apologize for his absence, years ago he would only continue to be angry with her, but he wanted to know the young girl that Desmond spoke about. The one that looked exactly like his brother and had a laugh that made everyone grin in return, the girl that was sweet and loved all, though could be stubborn and have a mouth on her.

The vehicle came to a halt, telling the group of five that they had arrived to their destination, "Move silently, speak softly," Altair instructed as he opened up the back and pulled down his hood to make certain his features were hidden. Immediately he pulled on gloves and ran up the side of the wall, pushing his fingers against the wall to get leverage. The gloves having a fiber of tiny, microscopic hairs that clung to anything and everything, giving Altair and his comrades a nice, fine grip. The group of four scaled the wall with ease, Altair making it up first and peering over the edge in search of guards. Seeing none, he pulled himself over and then helped the others. Collins, the gentleman that had been getting high in the back, had the equipment bag. Altair helped him heave that over and distribute weapons. Assassin work didn't progress much further; all favoring the silent and deadly weapons of a pistol with a silencer, throwing knives, and a hidden blade. But they all knew that the Templars didn't hold such a theory and came prepared in case heavier fire was needed.

The plan was already briefed between the group, presented before the council whom gave them their target, and then set into motion immediately. Shaun was in the van, working on the opportune moment to shut down on the power and set the place on lock down. Once that was done, they had fifeteen minutes before the back up generator and police arrived to understand what had gone on. Plenty of time for the four assassins to make it through Zed's cronies and make it to him and kill him.

Altair took a deep breath as Collins picked the lock to the front quickly. Once in, he pushed open the door and the group rushed in quickly, making it down the stairs and taking out any guards with ease that might impede their assassination. Sure enough, as they went up levels, Altair moving swiftly and with the group like a silent, well oiled, deadly machine, Shaun suddenly cut the power. Altair moved with the four around him with little communication, by the slight tense of a body, he knew when someone was going to halt in their movements or charge in for a kill. He knew when someone wanted Altair to charge forward and take a kill or when a back needed to be covered. The body language that all four seemed to speak was remarkable, making them seem all that more deadly yet beautiful as well.

They scaled up the elevator shaft, their guardian angel (Shaun) opened the doors for them the moment they reached the top and they tumbled inside and moved quickly. Altair dropped a smoke bomb, two of his comrades pounced on both guards by the elevator and slammed their knives into the guard's throats. The last leaped over Altair, shooting at a man who started opening fire at the smoke, throwing his blade at Zed's hand which had went for his gun, the blade slamming into the flesh and making Zed scream in pain.

"Assassin scum," he roared, pulling out the knife and cradeling his hand weakly.

Collins, kicked the chair out from under Zed, his head slammed onto the desk and Altair clamped a hand down, taking a blade and digging it into his skull, "who is your supplier?"

"Why should I tell you? I am dead either way," he yelled.

"And if we promise you life," Altair questioned.

"I'd still be Zed – Sable will not have a traitor among his ranks, he'll assume it's me and dispose of me as he had the last mafia leader," Zed said, letting out a yell as the knife dug deeper.

Altair tensed, "Sable is behind this?" Silence answered Altair and he cut off one of the man's fingers making him howl in pain, "answer me or I shall make this death far more painful than even Sable!" And to make sure his point was known he stabbed one of his eyes making the man give a sickening cry that squealed into a wail of complete torment.

"Fuck you," he cried, withering underneath Altair.

"Last chance, who is your supplier," Altair demanded, this time digging into the other side of his skull making him give whimpers.

He swallowed thickly and Altair leaned in, eagerly hoping that the man would cave, "Go to Hell, assassin scum."

With that he let out a sigh, removing the blade and putting his hands on his neck. He felt the man's heart beat flutter in relief in confusion, Altair could practically read Zed's mind; was he going to get away? Had the assassin's cold heart melted at his cries? Altair felt a sickening feeling at such relief, that he had caused such pain and then such relief in an instant. And he was about to kill him too. His hands grasped firmly, and that's when he felt his heart skip a beat, much like his past victims. But Altair had grown not to hesitate as he jerked his neck at an awkward angle – the noise echoing in his mind, a sickening crack and the man was no more – just a simple shell of what he had been.

Altair looked down at the body, for a brief moment he saw his brother's body instead – he had not been there for the funeral nor during the murder, but something never set well with Altair. His younger brother, an assassin, killed by a burglary gone bad? Desmond had been terrible at hand to hand combat, but Altair had his doubts that Desmond didn't have a gun stored somewhere in his house. He felt sick as he stared into Zed's emotionless eyes, imagining them being an emotionless hazel rather than an empty brown, Desmond's eyes. He swallowed thickly, "set the place on fire."

They were out in ten minutes – a successful mission, the message had been sent.

"Want a ride home, Altair," offered Shuan, he pushed up his glasses as he finished changing into the business attire that he wore into the office.

"Sure," Altair said with a tired sigh, buttoning up his own shirt and shrugging into his suit jacket, "thanks, Shaun."

"No problem, one of the few times it's useful to have a vehicle in New York," he chuckled as he closed his locker and headed towards the exit, "I'll wait for you outside."

Altair appreciated the time to himself as he sat on the bench, hands dropping from the button he had been working on as he sighed tiredly. He hadn't been on an assignment in awhile, and still he missed Kadar, Malik, and even Desmond by his side rather than his random comrades. There was no body language for any of them, Altair merely knew their movements, knew their actions before they could even begin them – knew them so well that he could anticipate their actions and allow Altair to react quickly and effectively.

"How is your niece," Shuan asked when Altair finally left the locker room, zipping up his duffle bag and shrugging it up his shoulder as the duo headed for the elevator and the parking garage.

Altair gave him a look, "reporting to my own boyfriend?"

"I won't deny that I shall be relying information – I may be an assassin but my work is far different from eavesdropping and killing," Shuan threw up his hands in exasperation, "so tell me something that shall appease him so that he may stop blowing up my phone." Grumbled the sarcastic Britian as he messed with his cuffs.

Chuckling, Altair responded, "tell him I am handling things."

"Didn't I just say tell me something that would appease him," teased the Britain and Altair swatted at his head as he round Shuan's car to the passenger side.

As he arrived home, he could tell something was wrong. His door, which was usually open, was slightly ajar. The window curtains, which had been pulled closed were messed up. In the darkness he stood in the small doorway as he took careful steps forward, his steps padding softly down the entrance hall as he neared the kitchen. His hand reached for the light switch when suddenly- there was a 'whoosh' of air. Something was flying towards him, immediately he stuck his hand out, metal slapped against his hand but he flexed the rest of his arm to swallow the rest of the movement of the bat, his bat.

A cry was heard, and immediately Altair recognized it as Isobel. He tried to speak with her, pulling the bat free when suddenly an elbow collided with his jaw making him stumble away, she ran towards Altair's room but he moved quickly and grabbed her from behind, grabbing her arms which immediately flung backwards to attack her attacker. "Isobel, it's me," Altair grunted as she let out screams before going dead in his arms, not expecting the sudden weight, the pair dropped to the ground, but Altair didn't let up as he now knew that she believed herself to be attacked, "Isobel! It's me!"

Her movements stopped at his final shout, her heart was racing, pounding her blood through her body like a panicked rabbit. For a brief moment he saw Zed, blood covering his hands, but Altair squeezed his eyes shut and saw his niece once more and eased off of her, "what is wrong? Why are you awake?"

"Let me go," she whispered, trying to get back up.

"Speak to me – why did you believe me to be an attacker," Altair pressed, not letting her go.

"Let me go!"

"Let me in!"

"BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS SCARED," she suddenly yelled into the carpet and Altair froze at this.

He wanted to laugh a little at her declaration, but he knew that would make her lash out at him and retreat into the shell that he had just worked to get into, "what are you scared of? Why are you scared? Let me help you…please, Isobel, let me help."

Her shoulders and head shook gently before she spoke again, "I'm scared…I'm going to wake to a stranger above me or you. I'm scared I'm going to come home and see someone dead again," she whimpered and Altair finally let her up, his hold was far gentler on her as the two sat in the moonlight. Her eyes were puffy, Altair noted, she had already been crying earlier and guilt weighed his stomach. He pulled her into a hug and she let him, at first not returning it as she cried on his shoulder before finally wrapping her arms around his back in a weak embrace as she cried. She was mumbling something against him and Altair had to pull her away gently in order to understand her, "…I'm so sorry, Uncle, I don't hate you, please know that-"

"I know, I know, shh," Altair kissed her forehead but she kept going.

"I don't hate you, you have to know that, please," she begged, grabbing the front of his shirt, "I don't want you to die like him not knowing that." Her entire body shook with sobs.

It didn't take a genius for Altair to know who 'him' was and Altair's shoulders slackened, "honey, my brother knows that you loved him."

She shook her head as she cried, "I didn't get to tell him before he died! Uncle I miss him so much," her voice cracked and Altair had to hug her as his own heart broke at her pleads and she began to cry again. He rocked her as he felt a tear fall from his own eyes, but his voice was level as he responded, "I know, I miss him too, Isobel, so much." Altair held her gently as she continued to cry, she only quieted into sniffles and hiccups, and she quickly fell asleep against him, apparently tired. Altair picked her up gently, taking her into his room and laying her down and quickly changing into a pair of pants and a comfortable shirt. He then joined her in bed, wiping her face one last time and watching her sleep for a bit longer, snuggling into his side for warmth.

I'm handling this. Altair thought miserably as he pushed dark locks out of a beautiful face before relaxing.

Sleep wouldn't come easy to Altair like any other time he had gone on an assignment, but every time he woke he was content with listening to Isobel's breathing and soft snores. He wouldn't leave her side, unless he had to use the restroom or check on his phone, he'd let her sleep.

When she woke with a groan, Altair said nothing, worried that her anger might return to her as she massaged her own temple and looked towards him as though expecting her reaction to be a dream. He gazed back at her calmly, letting her make the first move to either continue being open towards him or to shut him back out. He would be fine with either, this day was a breaking point and Altair had hopes that this wouldn't be the last time that the two could mend their relationship. "My head hurts," she finally settled on saying, she looked to him expectantly.

"I'll grab you an aspirin," he assured, getting out of bed and going into the kitchen to get some water and a tablet, she followed, wrapping herself up in the blanket that was laid on the back of the couch and then sitting on the bar stool and taking the pill with the offered glass of water. "How did you know I had a bat in my room," Altair asked curiously.

"I didn't," she admitted once she had swallowed the pill and sipped back some water before continuing in a tired voice, "dad always had stuff lying around the house in case someone came in while I was home alone. I figured the habit wasn't just something he picked up and so went into your room and found the bat under your side of the bed."

Altair nodded his head, "remind me not to tell you where the gun is." It was a lame joke, but he still humored him by laughing before Altair turned to the fridge and grabbed a breakfast skillet and started up the stove. He wasn't the fancy cook between himself and Malik, so Malik had been certain to grab some easy, pre-cooked meals that merely needed to be re-heated when Altair had to cook. "You can fight," he stated.

He tensed a bit, waiting for some sort of insult or snide remark of how he would know that if he had been present in her life more, but instead she opted to say, "dad taught me a couple of things."

"Yeah…you seem to have an impressive right hook as well- when did that happen," Altair demanded as he grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her hand across the counter, a knuckle was split and her face was scratched slightly. Small scabs had formed where the person had cut skin.

"At school," she admitted as Altair examined her hand calmly, she sipped her water and only jerked her hand away when he pressed her knuckle gently to see how sore it was. She glared at him.

He turned back to breakfast, "do you want to talk about what happened at school?"

Purposefully he had worded his question that way, clearly he was telling her that only if she wanted to talk about the fight could she bring it up. Alatir would not press the matter, and when she answered with a sigh and a, "Not particularly." He merely nodded his head and finished making breakfast for the two and then scooped it up into a bowl and handed her some. The two ate slowly and in silence once more before she spoke again, "do you really miss him?"

Glancing at her, Altair nodded his head. Malik had been kind enough not to bring up his brother's death though said on occasion that he should speak with someone. Isobel spoke again, "he told me stories about the two of you."

"Yeah," Altair asked, leaning against the counter and prompting her to go on.

Nodding, she smiled as she said, "he told me of the time that you and him went to the creek behind your house, how you didn't know how to swim and so refused to get in." Altair smiled at that a bit as well, before she went on, "he also told me about the time that he had gotten sick and so you took care of him and you sat through watching Barney ten times in a row."

"I hate that purple dinosaur," Altair scowled and Isobel chuckled as she took another bite of the skillet.

This time the silence stretched until the two were finished eating, and as Altair rinsed out the dishes and added them to the pile that needed to be done (he used the soaking method too often and merely piled on dishes), Isobel finally spoke again: "why were you never there?"

Altair frowned, turning to her, "Believe it or not, I was…when you were very little, and even before then as well. My brother and I…took different paths though shortly after you were born, five to be exact. I was away on business when I heard that your father was leaving the company that we both worked for, but I couldn't just leave my assignment. I found him in Arizona, I took over babysitting you until he came home…and then I spoke with him about him leaving. After that I was merely always too busy to visit. I know it's not a good enough excuse, and I know that I can't make up that time that I wasn't there. But I love you Isobel like you were my own, and if my brother wanted me to raise you, then I'll be damned if I don't fulfill his last wish."

There was a pause and Altair added, "and ask Malik, me confessing love is not an easy task." She smiled at this, before tilting her head slightly and laughing. A laugh that was contagious enough for Altair to smile and give a chuckle of his own.